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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:26:47 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:26:47 -0700 |
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diff --git a/6050-h/6050-h.htm b/6050-h/6050-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f455c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/6050-h/6050-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,16475 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The Roots of the Mountains, by William Morris</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + p.gutindent { margin-left: 2em; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapmediumdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Roots of the Mountains, by William Morris + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Roots of the Mountains + + +Author: William Morris + + + +Release Date: July 29, 2014 [eBook #6050] +[This file was first posted on October 24, 2002] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1896 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition by +David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS<br /> +WHEREIN IS TOLD SOMEWHAT OF<br /> +THE LIVES OF THE MEN OF BURG-<br /> +DALE THEIR FRIENDS THEIR<br /> +NEIGHBOURS THEIR FOEMEN AND<br /> +THEIR FELLOWS IN ARMS</h1> +<p style="text-align: center">BY WILLIAM MORRIS</p> +<p class="poetry">Whiles carried o’er the iron road,<br /> +We hurry by some fair abode;<br /> +The garden bright amidst the hay,<br /> +The yellow wain upon the way,<br /> +The dining men, the wind that sweeps<br /> +Light locks from off the sun-sweet heaps—<br /> +The gable grey, the hoary roof,<br /> +Here now—and now so far aloof.<br /> +How sorely then we long to stay<br /> +And midst its sweetness wear the day,<br /> +And ’neath its changing shadows sit,<br /> +And feel ourselves a part of it.<br /> +Such rest, such stay, I strove to win<br /> +With these same leaves that lie herein.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">LONDON, NEW YORK, AND BOMBAY</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">MDCCCXCVI</span></p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>First Edition printed +November</i>, 1889.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">250 <i>copies were printed on Large +Paper</i>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Second Edition</i>, +<i>February</i>, 1893.</p> +<h2><i>CONTENTS</i>.</h2> +<table> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"> </p> +</td> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>Page</i></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>Chapter I</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of Burgstead and its Folk and its Neighbours</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page1">1</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>II</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of Face-of-god and his Kindred</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page12">12</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>III</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>They talk of divers matters in the Hall</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page18">18</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>IV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god fareth to the Wood again</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page25">25</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>V</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god falls in with Menfolk on the +Mountain</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page34">34</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>VI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of Face-of-god and those Mountain-dwellers</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page39">39</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>VII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god talketh with the Friend on the +Mountain</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page50">50</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>VIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god cometh home again to Burgstead</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page57">57</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>IX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Those Brethren fare to the Yew-wood with the +Bride</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page59">59</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>X</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>New Tidings in the Dale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page63">63</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Men make Oath at Burgstead on the Holy Boar</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page69">69</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Stone-face telleth concerning the Wood-wights</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page74">74</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>They fare to the hunting of the elk</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page78">78</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XIV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Concerning Face-of-god and the Mountain</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page82">82</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Murder amongst the Folk of the Woodlanders</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page87">87</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XVI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Bride speaketh with Face-of-god</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page93">93</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XVII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Token cometh from the Mountain</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page97">97</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XVIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god talketh with the Friend in Shadowy +Vale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page105">105</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XIX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The fair Woman telleth Face-of-god of her +Kindred</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page109">109</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Those two together hold the Ring of the +Earth-god</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page124">124</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god looketh on the Dusky Men</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page141">141</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god cometh home to Burgstead</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page151">151</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Talk in the Hall of the House of the Face</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page162">162</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXIV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god giveth that Token to the Bride</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page165">165</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Gate-thing at Burgstead</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page170">170</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXVI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Ending of the Gate-thing</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page183">183</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXVII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god leadeth a Band through the Wood</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page191">191</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXVIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Men of Burgdale meet the Runaways</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page202">202</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXIX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>They bring the Runaways to Burgstead</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page216">216</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Hall-face goeth toward Rose-dale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page225">225</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Weapon-show of the Men of Burgdale and their +Neighbours</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page231">231</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Men of Shadowy Vale come to the Spring Market at +Burgstead</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page239">239</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Alderman gives Gifts to them of Shadowy +Vale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page251">251</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXIV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Chieftains take counsel in the Hall of the +Face</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page255">255</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god talketh with the Sun-beam</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page268">268</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXVI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Folk-might speaketh with the Bride</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page275">275</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXVII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Folk-mote of the Dalesmen</i>, <i>the +Shepherd-Folk</i>, <i>and the Woodland Carles</i>: <i>the Banner +of the Wolf displayed</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page282">282</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXVIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Great Folk-mote</i>: <i>Atonements given</i>, +<i>and Men made sackless</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page287">287</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XXXIX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Great Folk-mote</i>: <i>Men take rede of the +War-faring</i>, <i>the Fellowship</i>, <i>and the +War-leader</i>. <i>Folk-might telleth whence his People +came</i>. <i>The Folk-mote sundered</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page292">292</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XL</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Hosting in Shadowy Vale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page301">301</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Host departeth from Shadowy Vale</i>: <i>the first +Day’s journey</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page311">311</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Host cometh to the edges of Silver-dale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page318">318</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Face-of-god looketh on Silver-dale</i>: <i>the +Bowmen’s battle</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page322">322</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLIV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Onslaught of the Men of the Steer</i>, <i>the +Bridge</i>, <i>and the Bull</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page335">335</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of Face-of-god’s Onslaught</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page343">343</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLVI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Men meet in the Market of Silver-stead</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page352">352</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLVII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Kindreds win the Mote-house</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page363">363</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLVIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Men sing in the Mote-house</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page367">367</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>XLIX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Dallach fareth to Rose-dale</i>: <i>Crow telleth of his +Errand</i>: <i>the Kindreds eat their meat in Silver-dale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page372">372</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>L</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Folk-might seeth the Bride and speaketh with +her</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page378">378</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Dead borne to bale</i>: <i>the Mote-house +re-hallowed</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page382">382</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the new Beginning of good Days in +Silver-dale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page384">384</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Of the Word which Hall-ward of the Steer had for +Folk-might</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page386">386</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LIV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Tidings of Dallach</i>: <i>a Folk-mote in +Silver-dale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page391">391</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LV</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Departure from Silver-dale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page394">394</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LVI</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>Talk upon the Wild-wood Way</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page403">403</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LVII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>How the Host came home again</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page404">404</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LVIII</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>How the Maiden Ward was held in Burgdale</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page409">409</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><i>LIX</i>.</p> +</td> +<td><p><i>The Behest of Face-of-god to the Bride +accomplished</i>: <i>a Mote-stead appointed for the three +Folks</i>, <i>to wit</i>, <i>the Men of Burgdale</i>, <i>the +Shepherds</i>, <i>and the Children of the Wolf</i></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page418">418</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2><a name="page1"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 1</span>CHAPTER +I. OF BURGSTEAD AND ITS FOLK AND ITS NEIGHBOURS.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Once</span> upon a time amidst the +mountains and hills and falling streams of a fair land there was +a town or thorp in a certain valley. This was well-nigh +encompassed by a wall of sheer cliffs; toward the East and the +great mountains they drew together till they went near to meet, +and left but a narrow path on either side of a stony stream that +came rattling down into the Dale: toward the river at that end +the hills lowered somewhat, though they still ended in sheer +rocks; but up from it, and more especially on the north side, +they swelled into great shoulders of land, then dipped a little, +and rose again into the sides of huge fells clad with pine-woods, +and cleft here and there by deep ghylls: thence again they rose +higher and steeper, and ever higher till they drew dark and naked +out of the woods to meet the snow-fields and ice-rivers of the +high mountains. But that was far away from the pass by the +little river into the valley; and the said river was no drain +from the snow-fields white and thick with the grinding of the +ice, but clear and bright were its waters that came from wells +amidst the bare rocky heaths.</p> +<p>The upper end of the valley, where it first began to open out +from the pass, was rugged and broken by rocks and ridges of +water-borne stones, but presently it smoothed itself into mere +grassy swellings and knolls, and at last into a fair and fertile +plain swelling up into a green wave, as it were, against the +rock-wall which encompassed it on all sides save where the river +came gushing out of the strait pass at the east end, and where at +the west end it poured itself out of the Dale toward the lowlands +and the plain of the great river.</p> +<p>Now the valley was some ten miles of our measure from that +place of the rocks and the stone-ridges, to where the faces of +the hills drew somewhat anigh to the river again at the west, and +<a name="page2"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 2</span>then fell +aback along the edge of the great plain; like as when ye fare +a-sailing past two nesses of a river-mouth, and the main-sea +lieth open before you.</p> +<p>Besides the river afore-mentioned, which men called the +Weltering Water, there were other waters in the Dale. Near +the eastern pass, entangled in the rocky ground was a deep tarn +full of cold springs and about two acres in measure, and +therefrom ran a stream which fell into the Weltering Water amidst +the grassy knolls. Black seemed the waters of that tarn +which on one side washed the rocks-wall of the Dale; ugly and +aweful it seemed to men, and none knew what lay beneath its +waters save black mis-shapen trouts that few cared to bring to +net or angle: and it was called the Death-Tarn.</p> +<p>Other waters yet there were: here and there from the hills on +both sides, but especially from the south side, came trickles of +water that ran in pretty brooks down to the river; and some of +these sprang bubbling up amidst the foot-mounds of the +sheer-rocks; some had cleft a rugged and strait way through them, +and came tumbling down into the Dale at diverse heights from +their faces. But on the north side about halfway down the +Dale, one stream somewhat bigger than the others, and dealing +with softer ground, had cleft for itself a wider way; and the +folk had laboured this way wider yet, till they had made them a +road running north along the west side of the stream. Sooth +to say, except for the strait pass along the river at the eastern +end, and the wider pass at the western, they had no other way +(save one of which a word anon) out of the Dale but such as +mountain goats and bold cragsmen might take; and even of these +but few.</p> +<p>This midway stream was called the Wildlake, and the way along +it Wildlake’s Way, because it came to them out of the wood, +which on that north side stretched away from nigh to the lip of +the valley-wall up to the pine woods and the high fells on the +east and north, and down to the plain country on the west and +south.</p> +<p><a name="page3"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 3</span>Now when +the Weltering Water came out of the rocky tangle near the pass, +it was turned aside by the ground till it swung right up to the +feet of the Southern crags; then it turned and slowly bent round +again northward, and at last fairly doubled back on itself before +it turned again to run westward; so that when, after its second +double, it had come to flowing softly westward under the northern +crags, it had cast two thirds of a girdle round about a space of +land a little below the grassy knolls and tofts aforesaid; and +there in that fair space between the folds of the Weltering Water +stood the Thorp whereof the tale hath told.</p> +<p>The men thereof had widened and deepened the Weltering Water +about them, and had bridged it over to the plain meads; and +athwart the throat of the space left clear by the water they had +built them a strong wall though not very high, with a gate amidst +and a tower on either side thereof. Moreover, on the face +of the cliff which was but a stone’s throw from the gate +they had made them stairs and ladders to go up by; and on a knoll +nigh the brow had built a watch-tower of stone strong and great, +lest war should come into the land from over the hills. +That tower was ancient, and therefrom the Thorp had its name and +the whole valley also; and it was called Burgstead in +Burgdale.</p> +<p>So long as the Weltering Water ran straight along by the +northern cliffs after it had left Burgstead, betwixt the water +and the cliffs was a wide flat way fashioned by man’s +hand. Thus was the water again a good defence to the Thorp, +for it ran slow and deep there, and there was no other ground +betwixt it and the cliffs save that road, which was easy to bar +across so that no foemen might pass without battle, and this road +was called the Portway. For a long mile the river ran under +the northern cliffs, and then turned into the midst of the Dale, +and went its way westward a broad stream winding in gentle laps +and folds here and there down to the out-gate of the Dale. +But the Portway held on still underneath the rock-wall, till the +sheer-rocks grew somewhat broken, and were cumbered with certain +screes, and at last <a name="page4"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +4</span>the wayfarer came upon the break in them, and the ghyll +through which ran the Wildlake with Wildlake’s Way beside +it, but the Portway still went on all down the Dale and away to +the Plain-country.</p> +<p>That road in the ghyll, which was neither wide nor smooth, the +wayfarer into the wood must follow, till it lifted itself out of +the ghyll, and left the Wildlake coming rattling down by many +steps from the east; and now the way went straight north through +the woodland, ever mounting higher, (because the whole set of the +land was toward the high fells,) but not in any cleft or +ghyll. The wood itself thereabout was thick, a blended +growth of diverse kinds of trees, but most of oak and ash; light +and air enough came through their boughs to suffer the holly and +bramble and eglantine and other small wood to grow together into +thickets, which no man could pass without hewing a way. But +before it is told whereto Wildlake’s Way led, it must be +said that on the east side of the ghyll, where it first began +just over the Portway, the hill’s brow was clear of wood +for a certain space, and there, overlooking all the Dale, was the +Mote-stead of the Dalesmen, marked out by a great ring of stones, +amidst of which was the mound for the Judges and the Altar of the +Gods before it. And this was the holy place of the men of +the Dale and of other folk whereof the tale shall now tell.</p> +<p>For when Wildlake’s Way had gone some three miles from +the Mote-stead, the trees began to thin, and presently afterwards +was a clearing and the dwellings of men, built of timber as may +well be thought. These houses were neither rich nor great, +nor was the folk a mighty folk, because they were but a few, +albeit body by body they were stout carles enough. They had +not affinity with the Dalesmen, and did not wed with them, yet it +is to be deemed that they were somewhat akin to them. To be +short, though they were freemen, yet as regards the Dalesmen were +they well-nigh their servants; for they were but poor in goods, +and had to lean upon them somewhat. No tillage they <a +name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 5</span>had among those +high trees; and of beasts nought save some flocks of goats and a +few asses. Hunters they were, and charcoal-burners, and +therein the deftest of men, and they could shoot well in the bow +withal: so they trucked their charcoal and their smoked venison +and their peltries with the Dalesmen for wheat and wine and +weapons and weed; and the Dalesmen gave them main good +pennyworths, as men who had abundance wherewith to uphold their +kinsmen, though they were but far-away kin. Stout hands had +these Woodlanders and true hearts as any; but they were +few-spoken and to those that needed them not somewhat surly of +speech and grim of visage: brown-skinned they were, but +light-haired; well-eyed, with but little red in their cheeks: +their women were not very fair, for they toiled like the men, or +more. They were thought to be wiser than most men in +foreseeing things to come. They were much given to spells, +and songs of wizardry, and were very mindful of the old +story-lays, wherein they were far more wordy than in their daily +speech. Much skill had they in runes, and were exceeding +deft in scoring them on treen bowls, and on staves, and +door-posts and roof-beams and standing-beds and such like +things. Many a day when the snow was drifting over their +roofs, and hanging heavy on the tree-boughs, and the wind was +roaring through the trees aloft and rattling about the close +thicket, when the boughs were clattering in the wind, and +crashing down beneath the weight of the gathering freezing snow, +when all beasts and men lay close in their lairs, would they sit +long hours about the house-fire with the knife or the gouge in +hand, with the timber twixt their knees and the whetstone beside +them, hearkening to some tale of old times and the days when +their banner was abroad in the world; and they the while +wheedling into growth out of the tough wood knots and blossoms +and leaves and the images of beasts and warriors and women.</p> +<p>They were called nought save the Woodland-Carles in that day, +though time had been when they had borne a nobler name: and their +abode was called Carlstead. Shortly, for all they had <a +name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 6</span>and all they +had not, for all they were and all they were not, they were +well-beloved by their friends and feared by their foes.</p> +<p>Now when Wildlake’s Way was gotten to Carlstead, there +was an end of it toward the north; though beyond it in a right +line the wood was thinner, because of the hewing of the +Carles. But the road itself turned west at once and went on +through the wood, till some four miles further it first thinned +and then ceased altogether, the ground going down-hill all the +way: for this was the lower flank of the first great upheaval +toward the high mountains. But presently, after the wood +was ended, the land broke into swelling downs and winding dales +of no great height or depth, with a few scattered trees about the +hillsides, mostly thorns or scrubby oaks, gnarled and bent and +kept down by the western wind: here and there also were +yew-trees, and whiles the hillsides would be grown over with +box-wood, but none very great; and often juniper grew +abundantly. This then was the country of the Shepherds, who +were friends both of the Dalesmen and the Woodlanders. They +dwelt not in any fenced town or thorp, but their homesteads were +scattered about as was handy for water and shelter. +Nevertheless they had their own stronghold; for amidmost of their +country, on the highest of a certain down above a bottom where a +willowy stream winded, was a great earthwork: the walls thereof +were high and clean and overlapping at the entering in, and +amidst of it was a deep well of water, so that it was a very +defensible place: and thereto would they drive their flocks and +herds when war was in the land, for nought but a very great host +might win it; and this stronghold they called Greenbury.</p> +<p>These Shepherd-Folk were strong and tall like the Woodlanders, +for they were partly of the same blood, but burnt they were both +ruddy and brown: they were of more words than the Woodlanders but +yet not many-worded. They knew well all those old +story-lays, (and this partly by the minstrelsy of the +Woodlanders,) but they had scant skill in wizardry, and would +send for the Woodlanders, both men and women, to do whatso they +needed therein. They <a name="page7"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 7</span>were very hale and long-lived, whereas +they dwelt in clear bright air, and they mostly went light-clad +even in the winter, so strong and merry were they. They +wedded with the Woodlanders and the Dalesmen both; at least +certain houses of them did so. They grew no corn; nought +but a few pot-herbs, but had their meal of the Dalesmen; and in +the summer they drave some of their milch-kine into the Dale for +the abundance of grass there; whereas their own hills and bents +and winding valleys were not plenteously watered, except here and +there as in the bottom under Greenbury. No swine they had, +and but few horses, but of sheep very many, and of the best both +for their flesh and their wool. Yet were they nought so +deft craftsmen at the loom as were the Dalesmen, and their women +were not very eager at the weaving, though they loathed not the +spindle and rock. Shortly, they were merry folk +well-beloved of the Dalesmen, quick to wrath, though it abode not +long with them; not very curious in their houses and halls, which +were but little, and were decked mostly with the handiwork of the +Woodland-Carles their guests; who when they were abiding with +them, would oft stand long hours nose to beam, scoring and +nicking and hammering, answering no word spoken to them but with +aye or no, desiring nought save the endurance of the +daylight. Moreover, this shepherd-folk heeded not gay +raiment over-much, but commonly went clad in white woollen or +sheep-brown weed.</p> +<p>But beyond this shepherd-folk were more downs and more, +scantily peopled, and that after a while by folk with whom they +had no kinship or affinity, and who were at whiles their +foes. Yet was there no enduring enmity between them; and +ever after war and battle came peace; and all blood-wites were +duly paid and no long feud followed: nor were the Dalesmen and +the Woodlanders always in these wars, though at whiles they +were. Thus then it fared with these people.</p> +<p>But now that we have told of the folks with whom the Dalesmen +had kinship, affinity, and friendship, tell we of their chief <a +name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>abode, +Burgstead to wit, and of its fashion. As hath been told, it +lay upon the land made nigh into an isle by the folds of the +Weltering Water towards the uppermost end of the Dale; and it was +warded by the deep water, and by the wall aforesaid with its +towers. Now the Dale at its widest, to wit where Wildlake +fell into it, was but nine furlongs over, but at Burgstead it was +far narrower; so that betwixt the wall and the wandering stream +there was but a space of fifty acres, and therein lay Burgstead +in a space of the shape of a sword-pommel: and the houses of the +kinships lay about it, amidst of gardens and orchards, but little +ordered into streets and lanes, save that a way went clean +through everything from the tower-warded gate to the bridge over +the Water, which was warded by two other towers on its hither +side.</p> +<p>As to the houses, they were some bigger, some smaller, as the +housemates needed. Some were old, but not very old, save +two only, and some quite new, but of these there were not many: +they were all built fairly of stone and lime, with much fair and +curious carved work of knots and beasts and men round about the +doors; or whiles a wale of such-like work all along the +house-front. For as deft as were the Woodlanders with knife +and gouge on the oaken beams, even so deft were the Dalesmen with +mallet and chisel on the face of the hewn stone; and this was a +great pastime about the Thorp. Within these houses had but +a hall and solar, with shut-beds out from the hall on one side or +two, with whatso of kitchen and buttery and out-bower men deemed +handy. Many men dwelt in each house, either kinsfolk, or +such as were joined to the kindred.</p> +<p>Near to the gate of Burgstead in that street aforesaid and +facing east was the biggest house of the Thorp; it was one of the +two abovesaid which were older than any other. Its +door-posts and the lintel of the door were carved with knots and +twining stems fairer than other houses of that stead; and on the +wall beside the door carved over many stones was an image <a +name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>wrought in the +likeness of a man with a wide face, which was terrible to behold, +although it smiled: he bore a bent bow in his hand with an arrow +fitted to its string, and about the head of him was a ring of +rays like the beams of the sun, and at his feet was a dragon, +which had crept, as it were, from amidst of the blossomed knots +of the door-post wherewith the tail of him was yet +entwined. And this head with the ring of rays about it was +wrought into the adornment of that house, both within and +without, in many other places, but on never another house of the +Dale; and it was called the House of the Face. Thereof hath +the tale much to tell hereafter, but as now it goeth on to tell +of the ways of life of the Dalesmen.</p> +<p>In Burgstead was no Mote-hall or Town-house or Church, such as +we wot of in these days; and their market-place was wheresoever +any might choose to pitch a booth: but for the most part this was +done in the wide street betwixt the gate and the bridge. As +to a meeting-place, were there any small matters between man and +man, these would the Alderman or one of the Wardens deal with, +sitting in Court with the neighbours on the wide space just +outside the Gate: but if it were to do with greater matters, such +as great manslayings and blood-wites, or the making of war or +ending of it, or the choosing of the Alderman and the Wardens, +such matters must be put off to the Folk-mote, which could but be +held in the place aforesaid where was the Doom-ring and the Altar +of the Gods; and at that Folk-mote both the Shepherd-Folk and the +Woodland-Carles foregathered with the Dalesmen, and duly said +their say. There also they held their great casts and made +offerings to the Gods for the Fruitfulness of the Year, the +ingathering of the increase, and in Memory of their +Forefathers. Natheless at Yule-tide also they feasted from +house to house to be glad with the rest of Midwinter, and many a +cup drank at those feasts to the memory of the fathers, and the +days when the world was wider to them, and their banners fared +far afield.</p> +<p><a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>But +besides these dwellings of men in the field between the wall and +the water, there were homesteads up and down the Dale whereso men +found it easy and pleasant to dwell: their halls were built of +much the same fashion as those within the Thorp; but many had a +high garth-wall cast about them, so that they might make a stout +defence in their own houses if war came into the Dale.</p> +<p>As to their work afield; in many places the Dale was fair with +growth of trees, and especially were there long groves of sweet +chestnut standing on the grass, of the fruit whereof the folk had +much gain. Also on the south side nigh to the western end +was a wood or two of yew-trees very great and old, whence they +gat them bow-staves, for the Dalesmen also shot well in the +bow. Much wheat and rye they raised in the Dale, and +especially at the nether end thereof. Apples and pears and +cherries and plums they had in plenty; of which trees, some grew +about the borders of the acres, some in the gardens of the Thorp +and the homesteads. On the slopes that had grown from the +breaking down here and there of the Northern cliffs, and which +faced the South and the Sun’s burning, were rows of goodly +vines, whereof the folk made them enough and to spare of strong +wine both white and red.</p> +<p>As to their beasts; swine they had a many, but not many sheep, +since herein they trusted to their trucking with their friends +the Shepherds; they had horses, and yet but a few, for they were +stout in going afoot; and, had they a journey to make with women +big with babes, or with children or outworn elders, they would +yoke their oxen to their wains, and go fair and softly whither +they would. But the said oxen and all their neat were +exceeding big and fair, far other than the little beasts of the +Shepherd-Folk; they were either dun of colour, or white with +black horns (and those very great) and black tail-tufts and +ear-tips. Asses they had, and mules for the paths of the +mountains to the east; geese and hens enough, and dogs not a few, +great <a name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +11</span>hounds stronger than wolves, sharp-nosed, long-jawed, +dun of colour, shag-haired.</p> +<p>As to their wares; they were very deft weavers of wool and +flax, and made a shift to dye the thrums in fair colours; since +both woad and madder came to them good cheap by means of the +merchants of the plain country, and of greening weeds was +abundance at hand. Good smiths they were in all the metals: +they washed somewhat of gold out of the sands of the Weltering +Water, and copper and tin they fetched from the rocks of the +eastern mountains; but of silver they saw little, and iron they +must buy of the merchants of the plain, who came to them twice in +the year, to wit in the spring and the late autumn just before +the snows. Their wares they bought with wool spun and in +the fleece, and fine cloth, and skins of wine and young neat both +steers and heifers, and wrought copper bowls, and gold and copper +by weight, for they had no stamped money. And they guested +these merchants well, for they loved them, because of the tales +they told them of the Plain and its cities, and the manslayings +therein, and the fall of Kings and Dukes, and the uprising of +Captains.</p> +<p>Thus then lived this folk in much plenty and ease of life, +though not delicately nor desiring things out of measure. +They wrought with their hands and wearied themselves; and they +rested from their toil and feasted and were merry: to-morrow was +not a burden to them, nor yesterday a thing which they would fain +forget: life shamed them not, nor did death make them afraid.</p> +<p>As for the Dale wherein they dwelt, it was indeed most fair +and lovely, and they deemed it the Blessing of the Earth, and +they trod its flowery grass beside its rippled streams amidst its +green tree-boughs proudly and joyfully with goodly bodies and +merry hearts.</p> +<h2><a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +12</span>CHAPTER II. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND HIS KINDRED.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Tells</span> the tale, that on an evening +of late autumn when the weather was fair, calm, and sunny, there +came a man out of the wood hard by the Mote-stead aforesaid, who +sat him down at the roots of the Speech-mound, casting down +before him a roe-buck which he had just slain in the wood. +He was a young man of three and twenty summers; he was so clad +that he had on him a sheep-brown kirtle and leggings of like +stuff bound about with white leather thongs; he bore a +short-sword in his girdle and a little axe withal; the sword with +fair wrought gilded hilts and a dew-shoe of like fashion to its +sheath. He had his quiver at his back and bare in his hand +his bow unstrung. He was tall and strong, very fair of +fashion both of limbs and face, white-skinned, but for the +sun’s tanning, and ruddy-cheeked: his beard was little and +fine, his hair yellow and curling, cut somewhat close, but for +its length so plenteous, and so thick, that none could fail to +note it. He had no hat nor hood upon his head, nought but a +fillet of golden beads.</p> +<p>As he sat down he glanced at the dale below him with a +well-pleased look, and then cast his eyes down to the grass at +his feet, as though to hold a little longer all unchanged the +image of the fair place he had just seen. The sun was low +in the heavens, and his slant beams fell yellow all up the dale, +gilding the chestnut groves grown dusk and grey with autumn, and +the black masses of the elm-boughs, and gleaming back here and +there from the pools of the Weltering Water. Down in the +midmost meadows the long-horned dun kine were moving slowly as +they fed along the edges of the stream, and a dog was bounding +about with exceeding swiftness here and there among them. +At a sharply curved bight of the river the man could see a little +vermilion flame flickering about, and above it a thin blue veil +of smoke hanging in the air, and clinging to the boughs of the +willows anear; about it were a dozen menfolk clear to see, some +sitting, some standing, <a name="page13"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 13</span>some walking to and fro, but all in +company together: four of were brown-clad and short-skirted like +himself, and from above the hand of one came a flash of light as +the sun smote upon the steel of his spear. The others were +long-skirted and clad gayer, and amongst them were red and blue +and green and white garments, and they were clear to be seen for +women. Just as the young man looked up again, those of them +who were sitting down rose up, and those that were strolling drew +nigh, and they joined hands together, and fell to dancing on the +grass, and the dog and another one with him came up to the +dancers and raced about and betwixt them; and so clear to see +were they all and so little, being far away, that they looked +like dainty well-wrought puppets.</p> +<p>The young man sat smiling at it for a little, and then rose up +and shouldered his venison, and went down into Wildlake’s +Way, and presently was fairly in the Dale and striding along the +Portway beside the northern cliffs, whose greyness was gilded yet +by the last rays of the sun, though in a minute or two it would +go under the western rim. He went fast and cheerily, +murmuring to himself snatches of old songs; none overtook him on +the road, but he overtook divers folk going alone or in company +toward Burgstead; swains and old men, mothers and maidens coming +from the field and the acre, or going from house to house; and +one or two he met but not many. All these greeted him +kindly, and he them again; but he stayed not to speak with any, +but went as one in haste.</p> +<p>It was dusk by then he passed under the gate of Burgstead; he +went straight thence to the door of the House of the Face, and +entered as one who is at home, and need go no further, nor abide +a bidding.</p> +<p>The hall he came into straight out of the open air was long +and somewhat narrow and not right high; it was well-nigh dark now +within, but since he knew where to look, he could see by the +flicker that leapt up now and then from the smouldering brands of +the hearth amidmost the hall under the luffer, that there were <a +name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 14</span>but three men +therein, and belike they were even they whom he looked to find +there, and for their part they looked for his coming, and knew +his step.</p> +<p>He set down his venison on the floor, and cried out in a +cheery voice: ‘Ho, Kettel! Are all men gone without +doors to sleep so near the winter-tide, that the Hall is as dark +as a cave? Hither to me! Or art thou also +sleeping?’</p> +<p>A voice came from the further side of the hearth: ‘Yea, +lord, asleep I am, and have been, and dreaming; and in my dream I +dealt with the flesh-pots and the cake-board, and thou shalt see +my dream come true presently to thy gain.’</p> +<p>Quoth another voice: ‘Kettel hath had out that share of +his dream already belike, if the saw sayeth sooth about +cooks. All ye have been away, so belike he hath done as +Rafe’s dog when Rafe ran away from the slain +buck.’</p> +<p>He laughed therewith, and Kettel with him, and a third voice +joined the laughter. The young man also laughed and said: +‘Here I bring the venison which my kinsman desired; but as +ye see I have brought it over-late: but take it, Kettel. +When cometh my father from the stithy?’</p> +<p>Quoth Kettel: ‘My lord hath been hard at it shaping the +Yule-tide sword, and doth not lightly leave such work, as ye wot, +but he will be here presently, for he has sent to bid us dight +for supper straightway.’</p> +<p>Said the young man: ‘Where are there lords in the dale, +Kettel, or hast thou made some thyself, that thou must be always +throwing them in my teeth?’</p> +<p>‘Son of the Alderman,’ said Kettel, ‘ye call +me Kettel, which is no name of mine, so why should I not call +thee lord, which is no dignity of thine, since it goes well over +my tongue from old use and wont? But here comes my mate of +the kettle, and the women and lads. Sit down by the hearth +away from their hurry, and I will fetch thee the +hand-water.’</p> +<p>The young man sat down, and Kettel took up the venison <a +name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>and went his +ways toward the door at the lower end of the hall; but ere he +reached it it opened, and a noisy crowd entered of men, women, +boys, and dogs, some bearing great wax candles, some bowls and +cups and dishes and trenchers, and some the boards for the +meal.</p> +<p>The young man sat quiet smiling and winking his eyes at the +sudden flood of light let into the dark place; he took in without +looking at this or the other thing the aspect of his +Fathers’ House, so long familiar to him; yet to-night he +had a pleasure in it above his wont, and in all the stir of the +household; for the thought of the wood wherein he had wandered +all day yet hung heavy upon him. Came one of the girls and +cast fresh brands on the smouldering fire and stirred it into a +blaze, and the wax candles were set up on the daïs, so that +between them and the mew-quickened fire every corner of the hall +was bright. As aforesaid it was long and narrow, +over-arched with stone and not right high, the windows high up +under the springing of the roof-arch and all on the side toward +the street; over against them were the arches of the shut-beds of +the housemates. The walls were bare that evening, but folk +were wont to hang up hallings of woven pictures thereon when +feasts and high-days were toward; and all along the walls were +the tenter-hooks for that purpose, and divers weapons and tools +were hanging from them here and there. About the daïs +behind the thwart-table were now stuck for adornment leavy boughs +of oak now just beginning to turn with the first frosts. +High up on the gable wall above the tenter-hooks for the hangings +were carven fair imagery and knots and twining stems; for there +in the hewn atone was set forth that same image with the rayed +head that was on the outside wall, and he was smiting the dragon +and slaying him; but here inside the house all this was stained +in fair and lively colours, and the sun-like rays round the head +of the image were of beaten gold. At the lower end of the +hall were two doors going into the butteries, and kitchen, and +other <a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +16</span>out-bowers; and above these doors was a loft upborne by +stone pillars, which loft was the sleeping chamber of the goodman +of the house; but the outward door was halfway between the said +loft and the hearth of the hall.</p> +<p>So the young man took the shoes from his feet and then sat +watching the women and lads arraying the boards, till Kettel came +again to him with an old woman bearing the ewer and basin, who +washed his feet and poured the water over his hands, and gave him +the towel with fair-broidered ends to dry them withal.</p> +<p>Scarce had he made an end of this ere through the outer door +came in three men and a young woman with them; the foremost of +these was a man younger by some two years than the first-comer, +but so like him that none might misdoubt that he was his brother; +the next was an old man with a long white beard, but hale and +upright; and lastly came a man of middle-age, who led the young +woman by the hand. He was taller than the first of the +young men, though the other who entered with him outwent him in +height; a stark carle he was, broad across the shoulders, thin in +the flank, long-armed and big-handed; very noble and +well-fashioned of countenance, with a straight nose and grey eyes +underneath a broad brow: his hair grown somewhat scanty was done +about with a fillet of golden beads like the young men his +sons. For indeed this was their father, and the master of +the House.</p> +<p>His name was Iron-face, for he was the deftest of +weapon-smiths, and he was the Alderman of the Dalesmen, and +well-beloved of them; his kindred was deemed the noblest of the +Dale, and long had they dwelt in the House of the Face. But +of his sons the youngest, the new-comer, was named Hall-face, and +his brother the elder Face-of-god; which name was of old use +amongst the kindred, and many great men and stout warriors had +borne it aforetime: and this young man, in great love had he been +gotten, and in much hope had he been reared, and therefore had he +been named after the best of the kindred. But <a +name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>his mother, +who was hight the Jewel, and had been a very fair woman, was dead +now, and Iron-face lacked a wife.</p> +<p>Face-of-god was well-beloved of his kindred and of all the +Folk of the Dale, and he had gotten a to-name, and was called +Gold-mane because of the abundance and fairness of his hair.</p> +<p>As for the young woman that was led in by Iron-face, she was +the betrothed of Face-of-god, and her name was the Bride. +She looked with such eyes of love on him when she saw him in the +hall, as though she had never seen him before but once, nor loved +him but since yesterday; though in truth they had grown up +together and had seen each other most days of the year for many +years. She was of the kindred with whom the chiefs and +great men of the Face mostly wedded, which was indeed far away +kindred of them. She was a fair woman and strong: not +easily daunted amidst perils she was hardy and handy and +light-foot: she could swim as well as any, and could shoot well +in the bow, and wield sword and spear: yet was she kind and +compassionate, and of great courtesy, and the very dogs and kine +trusted in her and loved her. Her hair was dark red of hue, +long and fine and plenteous, her eyes great and brown, her brow +broad and very fair, her lips fine and red: her cheek not ruddy, +yet nowise sallow, but clear and bright: tall she was and of +excellent fashion, but well-knit and well-measured rather than +slender and wavering as the willow-bough. Her voice was +sweet and soft, her words few, but exceeding dear to the +listener. In short, she was a woman born to be the ransom +of her Folk.</p> +<p>Now as to the names which the menfolk of the Face bore, and +they an ancient kindred, a kindred of chieftains, it has been +said that in times past their image of the God of the Earth had +over his treen face a mask of beaten gold fashioned to the shape +of the image; and that when the Alderman of the Folk died, he to +wit who served the God and bore on his arm the gold-ring between +the people and the altar, this visor or face of God was laid over +the face of him who had been in a manner his priest, <a +name="page18"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 18</span>and therewith +he was borne to mound; and the new Alderman and priest had it in +charge to fashion a new visor for the God; and whereas for long +this great kindred had been chieftains of the people, they had +been, and were all so named, that the word Face was ever a part +of their names.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER III. THEY TALK OF DIVERS MATTERS IN THE +HALL.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> Face-of-god, who is also called +Gold-mane, rose up to meet the new-comers, and each of them +greeted him kindly, and the Bride kissed him on the cheek, and he +her in likewise; and he looked kindly on her, and took her hand, +and went on up the hall to the daïs, following his father +and the old man; as for him, he was of the kindred of the House, +and was foster-father of Iron-face and of his sons both; and his +name was Stone-face: a stark warrior had he been when he was +young, and even now he could do a man’s work in the +battlefield, and his understanding was as good as that of a man +in his prime. So went these and four others up on to the +daïs and sat down before the thwart-table looking down the +hall, for the meat was now on the board; and of the others there +were some fifty men and women who were deemed to be of the +kindred and sat at the endlong tables.</p> +<p>So then the Alderman stood up and made the sign of the Hammer +over the meat, the token of his craft and of his God. Then +they fell to with good hearts, for there was enough and to spare +of meat and drink. There was bread and flesh (though not +Gold-mane’s venison), and leeks and roasted chestnuts of +the grove, and red-cheeked apples of the garth, and honey enough +of that year’s gathering, and medlars sharp and mellow: +moreover, good wine of the western bents went up and down the +hall in great gilded copper bowls and in mazers girt and lipped +with gold.</p> +<p><a name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 19</span>But +when they were full of meat, and had drunken somewhat, they fell +to speech, and Iron-face spake aloud to his son, who had but been +speaking softly to the Bride as one playmate to the other: but +the Alderman said: ‘Scarce are the wood-deer grown, +kinsman, when I must needs eat sheep’s flesh on a Thursday, +though my son has lain abroad in the woods all night to hunt for +me.’</p> +<p>And therewith he smiled in the young man’s face; but +Gold-mane reddened and said: ‘So is it, kinsman, I can hit +what I can see; but not what is hidden.’</p> +<p>Iron-face laughed and said: ‘Hast thou been to the +Woodland-Carles? are their women fairer than our +cousins?’</p> +<p>Face-of-god took up the Bride’s hand in his and kissed +it and laid it to his cheek; and then turned to his father and +said: ‘Nay, father, I saw not the Wood-carles, nor went to +their abode; and on no day do I lust after their women. +Moreover, I brought home a roebuck of the fattest; but I was +over-late for Kettel, and the flesh was ready for the board by +then I came.’</p> +<p>‘Well, son,’ quoth Iron-face, for he was merry, +‘a roebuck is but a little deer for such big men as are +thou and I. But I rede thee take the Bride along with thee +the next time; and she shall seek whilest thou sleepest, and hit +when thou missest.’</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god smiled, but he frowned somewhat also, and he +said: ‘Well were that, indeed! But if ye must needs +drag a true tale out of me: that roebuck I shot at the very edge +of the wood nigh to the Mote-stead as I was coming home: harts +had I seen in the wood and its lawns, and boars, and bucks, and +loosed not at them: for indeed when I awoke in the morning in +that wood-lawn ye wot of, I wandered up and down with my bow +unbent. So it was that I fared as if I were seeking +something, I know not what, that should fill up something lacking +to me, I know not what. Thus I felt in myself even so long +as I was underneath the black boughs, and there was none beside +me and before me, and none to turn aback to: but when I came out +again into the <a name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +20</span>sunshine, and I saw the fair dale, and the happy abode +lying before me, and folk abroad in the meads merry in the +eventide; then was I full fain of it, and loathed the wood as an +empty thing that had nought to give me; and lo you! all that I +had been longing for in the wood, was it not in this House and +ready to my hand?—and that is good meseemeth.’</p> +<p>Therewith he drank of the cup which the Bride put into his +hand after she had kissed the rim, but when he had set it down +again he spake once more:</p> +<p>‘And yet now I am sitting honoured and well-beloved in +the House of my Fathers, with the holy hearth sparkling and +gleaming down there before me; and she that shall bear my +children sitting soft and kind by my side, and the bold lads I +shall one day lead in battle drinking out of my very cup: now it +seems to me that amidst all this, the dark cold wood, wherein +abide but the beasts and the Foes of the Gods, is bidding me to +it and drawing me thither. Narrow is the Dale and the World +is wide; I would it were dawn and daylight, that I might be afoot +again.’</p> +<p>And he half rose up from his place. But his father bent +his brow on him and said: ‘Kinsman, thou hast a long tongue +for a half-trained whelp: nor see I whitherward thy mind is +wandering, but if it be on the road of a lad’s desire to go +further and fare worse. Hearken then, I will offer thee +somewhat! Soon shall the West-country merchants be here +with their winter truck. How sayest thou? hast thou a mind +to fare back with them, and look on the Plain and its Cities, and +take and give with the strangers? To whom indeed thou shalt +be nothing save a purse with a few lumps of gold in it, or maybe +a spear in the stranger’s band on the stricken field, or a +bow on the wall of an alien city. This is a craft which +thou mayst well learn, since thou shalt be a chieftain; a craft +good to learn, however grievous it be in the learning. And +I myself have been there; for in my youth I desired sore to look +on the world beyond the mountains; so I went, and I filled my +belly with the fruit of my own desires, and a bitter <a +name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>meat was +that; but now that it has passed through me, and I yet alive, +belike I am more of a grown man for having endured its +gripe. Even so may it well be with thee, son; so go if thou +wilt; and thou shalt go with my blessing, and with gold and wares +and wain and spearmen.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Face-of-god, ‘I thank thee, for +it is well offered; but I will not go, for I have no lust for the +Plain and its Cities; I love the Dale well, and all that is round +about it; therein will I live and die.’</p> +<p>Therewith he fell a-musing; and the Bride looked at him +anxiously, but spake not. Sooth to say her heart was +sinking, as though she foreboded some new thing, which should +thrust itself into their merry life.</p> +<p>But the old man Stone-face took up the word and said:</p> +<p>‘Son Gold-mane, it behoveth me to speak, since belike I +know the wild-wood better than most, and have done for these +three-score and ten years; to my cost. Now I perceive that +thou longest for the wood and the innermost of it; and wot ye +what? This longing will at whiles entangle the sons of our +chieftains, though this Alderman that now is hath been free +therefrom, which is well for him. For, time was this +longing came over me, and I went whither it led me: overlong it +were to tell of all that befell me because of it, and how my +heart bled thereby. So sorry were the tidings that came of +it, that now meseemeth my heart should be of stone and not my +face, had it not been for the love wherewith I have loved the +sons of the kindred. Therefore, son, it were not ill if ye +went west away with the merchants this winter, and learned the +dealings of the cities, and brought us back tales +thereof.’</p> +<p>But Gold-mane cried out somewhat angrily, ‘I tell thee, +foster-father, that I have no mind for the cities and their men +and their fools and their whores and their runagates. But +as for the wood and its wonders, I have done with it, save for +hunting there along with others of the Folk. So let thy +mind be at ease; and for <a name="page22"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 22</span>the rest, I will do what the Alderman +commandeth, and whatso my father craveth of me.’</p> +<p>‘And that is well, son,’ said Stone-face, +‘if what ye say come to pass, as sore I misdoubt me it will +not. But well it were, well it were! For such things +are in the wood, yea and before ye come to its innermost, as may +well try the stoutest heart. Therein are Kobbolds, and +Wights that love not men, things unto whom the grief of men is as +the sound of the fiddle-bow unto us. And there abide the +ghosts of those that may not rest; and there wander the dwarfs +and the mountain-dwellers, the dealers in marvels, the givers of +gifts that destroy Houses; the forgers of the curse that clingeth +and the murder that flitteth to and fro. There moreover are +the lairs of Wights in the shapes of women, that draw a young +man’s heart out of his body, and fill up the empty place +with desire never to be satisfied, that they may mock him +therewith and waste his manhood and destroy him. Nor say I +much of the strong-thieves that dwell there, since thou art a +valiant sword; or of them who have been made Wolves of the Holy +Places; or of the Murder-Carles, the remnants and off-scourings +of wicked and wretched Folks—men who think as much of the +life of a man as of the life of a fly. Yet happiest is the +man whom they shall tear in pieces, than he who shall live +burdened by the curse of the Foes of the Gods.’</p> +<p>The housemaster looked on his son as the old carle spake, and +a cloud gathered on his face a while; and when Stone-face had +made an end he spake:</p> +<p>‘This is long and evil talk for the end of a merry day, +O fosterer! Wilt thou not drink a draught, O Redesman, and +then stand up and set thy fiddle-bow a-dancing, and cause it draw +some fair words after it? For my cousin’s face hath +grown sadder than a young maid’s should be, and my +son’s eyes gleam with thoughts that are far away from us +and abroad in the wild-wood seeking marvels.’</p> +<p>Then arose a man of middle-age from the top of the endlong <a +name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 23</span>bench on the +east side of the hall: a man tall, thin and scant-haired, with a +nose like an eagle’s neb: he reached out his hand for the +bowl, and when they had given to him he handled it, and raised it +aloft and cried:</p> +<p>‘Here I drink a double health to Face-of-god and the +Bride, and the love that lieth between them, and the love betwixt +them twain and us.’</p> +<p>He drank therewith, and the wine went up and down the hall, +and all men drank, both carles and queens, with shouting and +great joy. Then Redesman put down the cup (for it had come +into his hands again), and reached his hand to the wall behind +him, and took down his fiddle hanging there in its case, and drew +it out and fell to tuning it, while the hall grew silent to +hearken: then he handled the bow and laid it on the strings till +they wailed and chuckled sweetly, and when the song was well +awake and stirring briskly, then he lifted up his voice and +sang:</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>The Minstrel saith</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">‘O why on this morning, ye maids, are ye +tripping<br /> + Aloof from the meadows yet fresh with the dew,<br /> +Where under the west wind the river is lipping<br /> + The fragrance of mint, the white blooms and the +blue?</p> +<p class="poetry">For rough is the Portway where panting ye +wander;<br /> + On your feet and your gown-hems the dust lieth +dun;<br /> +Come trip through the grass and the meadow-sweet yonder,<br /> + And forget neath the willows the sword of the +sun.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>The Maidens answer</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Though fair are the moon-daisies down by the +river,<br /> + And soft is the grass and the white clover sweet;<br +/> +Though twixt us and the rock-wall the hot glare doth quiver,<br +/> + And the dust of the wheel-way is dun on our +feet;</p> +<p class="poetry">Yet here on the way shall we walk on this +morning<br /> + Though the sun burneth here, and sweet, cool is the +mead;<br /> +<a name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 24</span>For here +when in old days the Burg gave its warning,<br /> + Stood stark under weapons the doughty of deed.</p> +<p class="poetry">Here came on the aliens their proud words +a-crying,<br /> + And here on our threshold they stumbled and fell;<br +/> +Here silent at even the steel-clad were lying,<br /> + And here were our mothers the story to tell.</p> +<p class="poetry">Here then on the morn of the eve of the +wedding<br /> + We pray to the Mighty that we too may bear<br /> +Such war-walls for warding of orchard and steading,<br /> + That the new days be merry as old days were +dear.’</p> +<p>Therewith he made an end, and shouts and glad cries arose all +about the hall; and an old man arose and cried: ‘A cup to +the memory of the Mighty of the Day of the Warding of the +Ways.’ For you must know this song told of a custom +of the Folk, held in memory of a time of bygone battle, wherein +they had overthrown a great host of aliens on the Portway betwixt +the river and the cliffs, two furlongs from the gate of +Burgstead. So now two weeks before Midsummer those maidens +who were presently to be wedded went early in the morning to that +place clad in very fair raiment, swords girt to their sides and +spears in their hands, and abode there on the highway from morn +till even as though they were a guard to it. And they made +merry there, singing songs and telling tales of times past: and +at the sunsetting their grooms came to fetch them away to the +Feast of the Eve of the Wedding.</p> +<p>While the song was a-singing Face-of-god took the +Bride’s hand in his and caressed it, and was soft and +blithe with her; and she reddened and trembled for pleasure, and +called to mind wedding feasts that had been, and fair brides that +she had seen thereat, and she forgot her fears and her heart was +at peace again.</p> +<p>And Iron-face looked well-pleased on the two from time to +time, and smiled, but forbore words to them.</p> +<p>But up and down the hall men talked with one another about <a +name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>things long +ago betid: for their hearts were high and they desired deeds; but +in that fair Dale so happy were the years from day to day that +there was but little to tell of. So deepened the night and +waned, and Gold-mane and the Bride still talked sweetly together, +and at whiles kindly to the others; and by seeming he had clean +forgotten the wood and its wonders.</p> +<p>Then at last the Alderman called for the cup of good-night, +and men drank thereof and went their ways to bed.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV. FACE-OF-GOD FARETH TO THE WOOD AGAIN.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> it was the earliest morning +and dawn was but just beginning, Face-of-god awoke and rose up +from his bed, and came forth into the hall naked in his shirt, +and stood by the hearth, wherein the piled-up embers were yet +red, and looked about and could see nothing stirring in the +dimness: then he fetched water and washed the night-tide off him, +and clad himself in haste, and was even as he was yesterday, save +that he left his bow and quiver in their place and took instead a +short casting-spear; moreover he took a leathern scrip and went +therewith to the buttery, and set therein bread and flesh and a +little gilded beaker; and all this he did with but little noise; +for he would not be questioned, lest he should have to answer +himself as well as others.</p> +<p>Thus he went quietly out of doors, for the door was but +latched, since no bolts or bars or locks were used in Burgstead, +and through the town-gate, which stood open, save when rumours of +war were about. He turned his face straight towards +Wildlake’s Way, walking briskly, but at whiles looking back +over his shoulder toward the East to note what way was made by +the dawning, and how the sky lightened above the mountain +passes.</p> +<p><a name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>By then +he was come to the place where the Maiden Ward was held in the +summer the dawn was so far forward that all things had their due +colours, and were clear to see in the shadowless day. It +was a bright morning, with an easterly air stirring that drave +away the haze and dried the meadows, which had otherwise been +rimy; for it was cold. Gold-mane lingered on the place a +little, and his eyes fell on the road, as dusty yet as in +Redesman’s song; for the autumn had been very dry, and the +strip of green that edged the outside of the way was worn and +dusty also. On the edge of it, half in the dusty road, half +on the worn grass, was a long twine of briony red-berried and +black-leaved; and right in the midst of the road were two twigs +of great-leaved sturdy pollard oak, as though they had been +thrown aside there yesterday by women or children a-sporting; and +the deep white dust yet held the marks of feet, some bare, some +shod, crossing each other here and there. Face-of-god +smiled as he passed on, as a man with a happy thought; for his +mind showed him a picture of the Bride as she would be leading +the Maiden Ward next summer, and singing first among the singers, +and he saw her as clearly as he had often seen her verily, and +before him was the fashion of her hands and all her body, and the +little mark on her right wrist, and the place where her arm +whitened, because the sleeve guarded it against the sun, which +had long been pleasant unto him, and the little hollow in her +chin, and the lock of red-brown hair waving in the wind above her +brow, and shining in the sun as brightly as the Alderman’s +cunningest work of golden wire. Soft and sweet seemed that +picture, till he almost seemed to hear her sweet voice calling to +him, and desire of her so took hold of the youth, that it stirred +him up to go swiftlier as he strode on, the day brightening +behind him.</p> +<p>Now was it nigh sunrise, and he began to meet folk on the way, +though not many; since for most their way lay afield, and not +towards the Burg. The first was a Woodlander, tall and +gaunt, striding beside his ass, whose panniers were laden with <a +name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +27</span>charcoal. The carle’s daughter, a little +maiden of seven winters, riding on the ass’s back betwixt +the panniers, and prattling to herself in the cold morning; for +she was pleased with the clear light in the east, and the smooth +wide turf of the meadows, as one who had not often been far from +the shadow of the heavy trees of the wood, and their dark wall +round about the clearing where they dwelt. Face-of-god gave +the twain the sele of the day in merry fashion as he passed them +by, and the sober dark-faced man nodded to him but spake no word, +and the child stayed her prattle to watch him as he went by.</p> +<p>Then came the sound of the rattle of wheels, and, as he +doubled an angle of the rock-wall, he came upon a wain drawn by +four dun kine, wherein lay a young woman all muffled up against +the cold with furs and cloths; beside the yoke-beasts went her +man, a well-knit trim-faced Dalesman clad bravely in holiday +raiment, girt with a goodly sword, bearing a bright steel helm on +his head, in his hand a long spear with a gay red and white shaft +done about with copper bands. He looked merry and proud of +his wain-load, and the woman was smiling kindly on him from out +of her scarlet and fur; but now she turned a weary happy face on +Gold-mane, for they knew him, as did all men of the Dale.</p> +<p>So he stopped when they met, for the goodman had already +stayed his slow beasts, and the goodwife had risen a little on +her cushions to greet him, yet slowly and but a little, for she +was great with child, and not far from her time. That knew +Gold-mane well, and what was toward, and why the goodman wore his +fine clothes, and why the wain was decked with oak-boughs and the +yoke-beasts with their best gilded bells and copper-adorned +harness. For it was a custom with many of the kindreds that +the goodwife should fare to her father’s house to lie in +with her first babe, and the day of her coming home was made a +great feast in the house. So then Face-of-god cried out: +‘Hail to thee, O Warcliff! Shrewd is the wind this +morning, and thou dost well to heed it carefully, this thine +orchard, this thy garden, this thy <a name="page28"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 28</span>fair apple-tree! To a good hall +thou wendest, and the Wine of Increase shall be sweet there this +even.’</p> +<p>Then smiled Warcliff all across his face, and the goodwife +hung her head and reddened. Said the goodman: ‘Wilt +thou not be with us, son of the Alderman, as surely thy father +shall be?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Face-of-god, ‘though I were fain +of it: my own matters carry me away.’</p> +<p>‘What matters?’ said Warcliff; ‘perchance +thou art for the cities this autumn?’</p> +<p>Face-of-god answered somewhat stiffly: ‘Nay, I am +not;’ and then more kindly, and smiling, ‘All roads +lead not down to the Plain, friend.’</p> +<p>‘What road then farest thou away from us?’ said +the goodwife.</p> +<p>‘The way of my will,’ he answered.</p> +<p>‘And what way is that?’ said she; ‘take +heed, lest I get a longing to know. For then must thou +needs tell me, or deal with the carle there beside +thee.’</p> +<p>‘Nay, goodwife,’ said Face-of-god, ‘let not +that longing take thee; for on that matter I am even as wise as +thou. Now good speed to thee and to the +new-comer!’</p> +<p>Therewith he went close up to the wain, and reached out his +hand to her, and she gave him hers and he kissed it, and so went +his ways smiling kindly on them. Then the carle cried to +his kine, and they bent down their heads to the yoke; and +presently, as he walked on, he heard the rumble of the wain +mingling with the tinkling of their bells, which in a little +while became measured and musical, and sounded above the creaking +of the axles and the rattle of the gear and the roll of the great +wheels over the road: and so it grew thinner and thinner till it +all died away behind him.</p> +<p>He was now come to where the river turned away from the sheer +rock-wall, which was not so high there as in most other places, +as there had been in old time long screes from the cliff, which +had now grown together, with the waxing of herbs and the <a +name="page29"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 29</span>washing down +of the earth on to them, and made a steady slope or low hill +going down riverward. Over this the road lifted itself +above the level of the meadows, keeping a little way from the +cliffs, while on the other side its bank was somewhat broken and +steep here and there. As Face-of-god came up to one of +these broken places, the sun rose over the eastern pass, and the +meadows grew golden with its long beams. He lingered, and +looked back under his hand, and as he did so heard the voices and +laughter of women coming up from the slope below him, and +presently a young woman came struggling up the broken bank with +hand and knee, and cast herself down on the roadside turf +laughing and panting. She was a long-limbed light-made +woman, dark-faced and black-haired: amidst her laughter she +looked up and saw Gold-mane, who had stopped at once when he saw +her; she held out her hands to him, and said lightly, though her +face flushed withal:</p> +<p>‘Come hither, thou, and help the others to climb the +bank; for they are beaten in the race, and now must they do after +my will; that was the forfeit.’</p> +<p>He went up to her, and took her hands and kissed them, as was +the custom of the Dale, and said:</p> +<p>‘Hail to thee, Long-coat! who be they, and whither away +this morning early?’</p> +<p>She looked hard at him, and fondly belike, as she answered +slowly: ‘They be the two maidens of my father’s +house, whom thou knowest; and our errand, all three of us, is to +Burgstead, the Feast of the Wine of Increase which shall be drunk +this even.’</p> +<p>As she spake came another woman half up the bank, to whom went +Face-of-god, and, taking her hands, drew her up while she laughed +merrily in his face: he saluted her as he had Long-coat, and then +with a laugh turned about to wait for the third; who came indeed, +but after a little while, for she had abided, hearing their +voices. Her also Gold-mane drew up, and kissed <a +name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 30</span>her hands, +and she lay on the grass by Long-coat, but the second maiden +stood up beside the young man. She was white-skinned and +golden-haired, a very fair damsel, whereas the last-comer was but +comely, as were well-nigh all the women of the Dale.</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god, looking on the three: ‘How comes it, +maidens, that ye are but in your kirtles this sharp autumn +morning? or where have ye left your gowns or your +cloaks?’</p> +<p>For indeed they were clad but in close-fitting blue kirtles of +fine wool, embroidered about the hems with gold and coloured +threads.</p> +<p>The last-comer laughed and said: ‘What ails thee, +Gold-mane, to be so careful of us, as if thou wert our mother or +our nurse? Yet if thou must needs know, there hang our +gowns on the thorn-bush down yonder; for we have been running a +match and a forfeit; to wit, that she who was last on the highway +should go down again and bring them up all three; and now that is +my day’s work: but since thou art here, Alderman’s +son, thou shalt go down instead of me and fetch them +up.’</p> +<p>But he laughed merrily and outright, and said: ‘That +will I not, for there be but twenty-four hours in the day, and +what between eating and drinking and talking to fair maidens, I +have enough to do in every one of them. Wasteful are ye +women, and simple is your forfeit. Now will I, who am the +Alderman’s son, give forth a doom, and will ordain that one +of you fetch up the gowns yourselves, and that Long-coat be the +one; for she is the fleetest-footed and ablest thereto. +Will ye take my doom? for later on I shall not be +wiser.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said the fair woman, ‘not because +thou art the Alderman’s son, but because thou art the +fairest man of the Dale, and mayst bid us poor souls what thou +wilt.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god reddened at her words, and the speaker and the +last-comer laughed; but Long-coat held her peace: she cast one +very sober look on him, and then ran lightly down the bent; he +drew near the edge of it, and watched her going; for her +light-foot <a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +31</span>slimness was fair to look on: and he noted that when she +was nigh the thorn-bush whereon hung the bright-broidered gowns, +and deemed belike that she was not seen, she kissed both her +hands where he had kissed them erst.</p> +<p>Thereat he drew aback and turned away shyly, scarce looking at +the other twain, who smiled on him with somewhat jeering looks; +but he bade them farewell and departed speedily; and if they +spoke, it was but softly, for he heard their voices no more.</p> +<p>He went on under the sunlight which was now gilding the +outstanding stones of the cliffs, and still his mind was set upon +the Bride; and his meeting with the mother of the yet unborn +baby, and with the three women with their freshness and fairness, +did somehow turn his thought the more upon her, since she was the +woman who was to be his amongst all women, for she was far fairer +than any one of them; and through all manner of life and through +all kinds of deeds would he be with her, and know more of her +fairness and kindness than any other could: and him-seemed he +could see pictures of her and of him amidst all these deeds and +ways.</p> +<p>Now he went very swiftly; for he was eager, though he knew not +for what, and he thought but little of the things on which his +eyes fell. He met none else on the road till he was come to +Wildlake’s Way, though he saw folk enough down in the +meadows; he was soon amidst the first of the trees, and without +making any stay set his face east and somewhat north, that is, +toward the slopes that led to the great mountains. He said +to himself aloud, as he wended the wood: ‘Strange! +yestereven I thought much of the wood, and I set my mind on not +going thither, and this morning I thought nothing of it, and here +am I amidst its trees, and wending towards its +innermost.’</p> +<p>His way was easy at first, because the wood for a little space +was all of beech, so that there was no undergrowth, and he went +lightly betwixt the tall grey and smooth boles; albeit his heart +was nought so gay as it was in the dale amidst the +sunshine. After a while the beech-wood grew thinner, and at +last gave out <a name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +32</span>altogether, and he came into a space of rough broken +ground with nought but a few scrubby oaks and thorn-bushes +growing thereon here and there. The sun was high in the +heavens now, and shone brightly down on the waste, though there +were a few white clouds high up above him. The rabbits +scuttled out of the grass before him; here and there he turned +aside from a stone on which lay coiled an adder sunning itself; +now and again both hart and hind bounded away from before him, or +a sounder of wild swine ran grunting away toward closer +covert. But nought did he see but the common sights and +sounds of the woodland; nor did he look for aught else, for he +knew this part of the woodland indifferent well.</p> +<p>He held on over this treeless waste for an hour or more, when +the ground began to be less rugged, and he came upon trees again, +but thinly scattered, oak and ash and hornbeam not right great, +with thickets of holly and blackthorn between them. The set +of the ground was still steadily up to the east and north-east, +and he followed it as one who wendeth an assured way. At +last before him seemed to rise a wall of trees and thicket; but +when he drew near to it, lo! an opening in a certain place, and a +little path as if men were wont to thread the tangle of the wood +thereby; though hitherto he had noted no slot of men, nor any +sign of them, since he had plunged into the deep of the +beech-wood. He took the path as one who needs must, and +went his ways as it led. In sooth it was well-nigh blind, +but he was a deft woodsman, and by means of it skirted many a +close thicket that had otherwise stayed him. So on he went, +and though the boughs were close enough overhead, and the sun +came through but in flecks, he judged that it was growing towards +noon, and he wotted well that he was growing aweary. For he +had been long afoot, and the more part of the time on a rough +way, or breasting a slope which was at whiles steep enough.</p> +<p>At last the track led him skirting about an exceeding close +thicket into a small clearing, through which ran a little +woodland <a name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +33</span>rill amidst rushes and dead leaves: there was a low +mound near the eastern side of this wood-lawn, as though there +had been once a dwelling of man there, but no other sign or slot +of man was there.</p> +<p>So Face-of-god made stay in that place, casting himself down +beside the rill to rest him and eat and drink somewhat. +Whatever thoughts had been with him through the wood (and they +been many) concerning his House and his name, and his father, and +the journey he might make to the cities of the Westland, and what +was to befall him when he was wedded, and what war or trouble +should be on his hands—all this was now mingled together +and confused by this rest amidst his weariness. He laid +down his scrip, and drew his meat from it and ate what he would, +and dipping his gilded beaker into the brook, drank water +smacking of the damp musty savour of the woodland; and then his +head sank back on a little mound in the short turf, and he fell +asleep at once. A long dream he had in short space; and +therein were blent his thoughts of the morning with the deeds of +yesterday; and other matters long forgotten in his waking hours +came back to his slumber in unordered confusion: all which made +up for him pictures clear, but of little meaning, save that, as +oft befalls in dreams, whatever he was a-doing he felt himself +belated.</p> +<p>When he awoke, smiling at something strange in his gone-by +dream, he looked up to the heavens, thinking to see signs of the +even at hand, for he seemed to have been dreaming so long. +The sky was thinly overcast by now, but by his wonted woodcraft +he knew the whereabouts of the sun, and that it was scant an hour +after noon. He sat there till he was wholly awake, and then +drank once more of the woodland water; and he said to himself, +but out loud, for he was fain of the sound of a man’s +voice, though it were but his own:</p> +<p>‘What is mine errand hither? Whither wend I? +What shall I have done to-morrow that I have hitherto left +undone? <a name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +34</span>Or what manner of man shall I be then other than I am +now?’</p> +<p>Yet though he said the words he failed to think the thought, +or it left him in a moment of time, and he thought but of the +Bride and her kindness. Yet that abode with him but a +moment, and again he saw himself and those two women on the +highway edge, and Long-coat lingering on the slope below, kissing +his kisses on her hands; and he was sorry that she desired him +over-much, for she was a fair woman and a friendly. But all +that also flowed from him at once, and he had no thought in him +but that he also desired something that he lacked: and this was a +burden to him, and he rose up frowning, and said to himself, +‘Am I become a mere sport of dreams, whether I sleep or +wake? I will go backward—or forward, but will think +no more.’</p> +<p>Then he ordered his gear again, and took the path onward and +upward toward the Great Mountains; and the track was even fainter +than before for a while, so that he had to seek his way +diligently.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER V. FACE-OF-GOD FALLS IN WITH MENFOLK ON THE +MOUNTAIN.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> he plodded on steadily, and for +a long time the forest changed but little, and of wild things he +saw only a few of those that love the closest covert. The +ground still went up and up, though at whiles were hollows, and +steeper bents out of them again, and the half-blind path or slot +still led past the close thickets and fallen trees, and he made +way without let or hindrance. At last once more the wood +began to thin, and the trees themselves to be smaller and gnarled +and ill-grown: therewithal the day was waning, and the sky was +quite clear again as the afternoon grew into a fair autumn +evening.</p> +<p>Now the trees failed altogether, and the slope grown steeper +<a name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>was +covered with heather and ling; and looking up, he saw before him +quite near by seeming in the clear even (though indeed they were +yet far away) the snowy peaks flushed with the sinking sun +against the frosty dark-grey eastern sky; and below them the dark +rock-mountains, and below these again, and nigh to him indeed, +the fells covered with pine-woods and looking like a wall to the +heaths he trod.</p> +<p>He stayed a little while and turned his head to look at the +way whereby he had come; but that way a swell of the oak-forest +hid everything but the wood itself, making a wall behind him as +the pine-wood made a wall before. There came across him +then a sharp memory of the boding words which Stone-face had +spoken last night, and he felt as if he were now indeed within +the trap. But presently he laughed and said: ‘I am a +fool: this comes of being alone in the dark wood and the dismal +waste, after the merry faces of the Dale had swept away my +foolish musings of yesterday and the day before. Lo! here I +stand, a man of the Face, sword and axe by my side; if death +come, it can but come once; and if I fear not death, what shall +make me afraid? The Gods hate me not, and will not hurt me; +and they are not ugly, but beauteous.’</p> +<p>Therewith he strode on again, and soon came to a place where +the ground sank into a shallow valley and the ling gave place to +grass for a while, and there were tall old pines scattered about, +and betwixt them grey rocks; this he passed through, climbing a +steep bent out of it, and the pines were all about him now, +though growing wide apart, till at last he came to where they +thickened into a wood, not very close, wherethrough he went +merrily, singing to himself and swinging his spear. He was +soon through this wood, and came on to a wide well-grassed +wood-lawn, hedged by the wood aforesaid on three sides, but +sloping up slowly toward the black wall of the thicker pine-wood +on the fourth side, and about half a furlong overthwart and +endlong. The sun had set while he was in the last wood, but +it was <a name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +36</span>still broad daylight on the wood-lawn, and as he stood +there he was ware of a house under the pine-wood on the other +side, built long and low, much like the houses of the +Woodland-Carles, but rougher fashioned and of unhewn trees. +He gazed on it, and said aloud to himself as his wont was:</p> +<p>‘Marvellous! here is a dwelling of man, scarce a +day’s journey from Burgstead; yet have I never heard tell +of it: may happen some of the Woodland-Carles have built it, and +are on some errand of hunting peltries up in the mountains, or +maybe are seeking copper and tin among the rocks. Well, at +least let us go see what manner of men dwell there, and if they +are minded for a guest to-night; for fain were I of a bed beneath +a roof, and of a board with strong meat and drink on +it.’</p> +<p>Therewith he set forward, not heeding much that the wood he +had passed through was hard on his left hand; but he had gone but +twenty paces when he saw a red thing at the edge of the wood, and +then a glitter, and a spear came whistling forth, and smote his +own spear so hard close to the steel that it flew out of his +hand; then came a great shout, and a man clad in a scarlet kirtle +ran forth on him. Face-of-god had his axe in his hand in a +twinkling, and ran at once to meet his foe; but the man had the +hill on his side as he rushed on with a short-sword in his +hand. Axe and sword clashed together for a moment of time, +and then both the men rolled over on the grass together, and +Face-of-god as he fell deemed that he heard the shrill cry of a +woman. Now Face-of-god found that he was the nethermost, +for if he was strong, yet was his foe stronger; the axe had flown +out of his hand also, while the strange man still kept a hold of +his short-sword; and presently, though he still struggled all he +could, he saw the man draw back his hand to smite with the said +sword; and at that nick of time the foeman’s knee was on +his breast, his left hand was doubled back behind him, and his +right wrist was gripped hard in the stranger’s left +hand. Even therewith his ears, sharpened by the coming +death, heard the sound of footsteps and fluttering raiment +drawing near; <a name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +37</span>something dark came between him and the sky; there was +the sound of a great stroke, and the big man loosened his grip +and fell off him to one side.</p> +<p>Face-of-god leapt up and ran to his axe and got hold of it; +but turning round found himself face to face with a tall woman +holding in her hand a stout staff like the limb of a tree. +She was calm and smiling, though forsooth it was she who had +stricken the stroke and stayed the sword from his throat. +His hand and axe dropped down to his side when he saw what it was +that faced him, and that the woman was young and fair; so he +spake to her and said:</p> +<p>‘What aileth, maiden? is this man thy foe? doth he +oppress thee? shall I slay him?’</p> +<p>She laughed and said: ‘Thou art open-handed in thy +proffers: he might have asked the like concerning thee but a +minute ago.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, yea,’ said Gold-mane, laughing also, +‘but he asked it not of thee.’</p> +<p>‘That is sooth,’ she said, ‘but since thou +hast asked me, I will tell thee that if thou slay him it will be +my harm as well as his; and in my country a man that taketh a +gift is not wont to break the giver’s head with it +straightway. The man is my brother, O stranger, and +presently, if thou wilt, thou mayst be eating at the same board +with him. Or if thou wilt, thou mayst go thy ways unhurt +into the wood. But I had liefer of the twain that thou wert +in our house to-night; for thou hast a wrong against +us.’</p> +<p>Her voice was sweet and clear, and she spake the last words +kindly, and drew somewhat nigher to Gold-mane. Therewithal +the smitten man sat up, and put his hand to his head, and quoth +he:</p> +<p>‘Angry is my sister! good it is to wear the helm abroad +when she shaketh the nut-trees.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said she, ‘it is thy luck that thou +wert bare-headed, else had I been forced to smite thee on the +face. Thou churl, since when hath it been our wont to +thrust knives into a guest, who is come of great kin, a man of +gentle heart and fair face? Come hither and handsel him +self-doom for thy fool’s onset!’</p> +<p><a name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>The man +rose to his feet and said: ‘Well, sister, least said, +soonest mended. A clout on the head is worse than a +woman’s chiding; but since ye have given me one, ye may +forbear the other.’</p> +<p>Therewith he drew near to them. He was a very big-made +man, most stalwarth, with dark red hair and a thin pointed beard; +his nose was straight and fine, his eyes grey and well-opened, +but somewhat fierce withal. Yet was he in nowise +evil-looking; he seemed some thirty summers old. He was +clad in a short scarlet kirtle, a goodly garment, with a hood of +like web pulled off his head on to his shoulders: he bore a great +gold ring on his left arm, and a collar of gold came down on to +his breast from under his hood.</p> +<p>As for the woman, she was clad in a long white linen smock, +and over it a short gown of dark blue woollen, and she had skin +shoes on her feet.</p> +<p>Now the man came up to Face-of-god, and took his hand and +said: ‘I deemed thee a foe, and I may not have over-many +foes alive: but it seems that thou art to be a friend, and that +is well and better; so herewith I handsel thee self-doom in the +matter of the onslaught.’</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god laughed and said: ‘The doom is soon +given forth; against the tumble on the grass I set the clout on +the head; there is nought left over to pay to any man’s +son.’</p> +<p>Said the scarlet-clad man: ‘Belike by thine eyes thou +art a true man, and wilt not bewray me. Now is there no +foeman here, but rather maybe a friend both now and in time to +come.’ Therewith he cast his arms about Face-of-god +and kissed him. But Face-of-god turned about to the woman +and said: ‘Is the peace wholly made?’</p> +<p>She shook her head and said soberly: ‘Nay, thou art too +fair for a woman to kiss.’</p> +<p>He flushed red, as his wont was when a woman praised him; yet +was his heart full of pleasure and well-liking. But she +laid her hand on his shoulder and said: ‘Now is it for thee +to choose <a name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +39</span>betwixt the wild-wood and the hall, and whether thou +wilt be a guest or a wayfarer this night.’</p> +<p>As she touched him there took hold of him a sweetness of +pleasure he had never felt erst, and he answered: ‘I will +be thy guest and not thy stranger.’</p> +<p>‘Come then,’ she said, and took his hand in hers, +so that he scarce felt the earth under his feet, as they went all +three together toward the house in the gathering dusk, while +eastward where the peaks of the great mountains dipped was a +light that told of the rising of the moon.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND THOSE +MOUNTAIN-DWELLERS.</h2> +<p>A <span class="smcap">yard</span> or two from the threshold +Gold-mane hung back a moment, entangled in some such misgiving as +a man is wont to feel when he is just about to do some new deed, +but is not yet deep in the story; his new friends noted that, for +they smiled each in their own way, and the woman drew her hand +away from his. Face-of-god held out his still as though to +take hers again, and therewithal he changed countenance and said +as though he had stayed but to ask that question:</p> +<p>‘Tell me thy name, tall man; and thou, fair woman, tell +me thine; for how can we talk together else?’</p> +<p>The man laughed outright and said: ‘The young chieftain +thinks that this house also should be his! Nay, young man, +I know what is in thy thought, be not ashamed that thou art wary; +and be assured! We shall hurt thee no more than thou hast +been hurt. Now as to my name; the name that was born with +me is gone: the name that was given me hath been taken from me: +now I belike must give myself a name, and that shall be +Wild-wearer; but it may be that thou thyself shalt one day give +me another, and call me Guest.’</p> +<p><a name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>His +sister gazed at him solemnly as he spoke, and Face-of-god +beholding her the while, deemed that her beauty grew and grew +till she seemed as aweful as a Goddess; and into his mind it came +that this over-strong man and over-lovely woman were nought +mortal, and they withal dealing with him as father and mother +deal with a wayward child: then for a moment his heart failed +him, and he longed for the peace of Burgdale, and even the lonely +wood. But therewith she turned to him and let her hand come +into his again, and looked kindly on him and said: ‘And as +for me, call me the Friend; the name is good and will serve for +many things.’</p> +<p>He looked down from her face and his eyes lighted on her hand, +and when he noted even amid the evening dusk how fair and lovely +it was fashioned, and yet as though it were deft in the crafts +that the daughters of menfolk use, his fear departed, and the +pleasure of his longing filled his heart, and he drew her hand to +him to kiss it; but she held it back. Then he said: +‘It is the custom of the Dale to all women.’</p> +<p>So she let him kiss her hand, heeding the kiss nothing, and +said soberly:</p> +<p>‘Then art thou of Burgdale, and if it were lawful to +guess, I would say that thy name is Face-of-god, of the House of +the Face.’</p> +<p>‘Even so it is,’ said he, ‘but in the Dale +those that love me do mostly call me Gold-mane.’</p> +<p>‘It is well named,’ she said, ‘and seldom +wilt thou be called otherwise, for thou wilt be +well-beloved. But come in now, Gold-mane, for night is at +hand, and here have we meat and lodging such as an hungry and +weary man may take; though we be broken people, dwellers in the +waste.’</p> +<p>Therewith she led him gently over the threshold into the hall, +and it seemed to him as if she were the fairest and the noblest +of all the Queens of ancient story.</p> +<p>When he was in the house he looked and saw that, rough as <a +name="page41"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>it was +without it lacked not fairness within. The floor was of +hard-trodden earth strewn with pine-twigs, and with here and +there brown bearskins laid on it: there was a standing table near +the upper end athwart the hall, and a days beyond that, but no +endlong table. Gold-mane looked to the shut-beds, and saw +that they were large and fair, though there were but a few of +them; and at the lower end was a loft for a sleeping chamber +dight very fairly with broidered cloths. The hangings on +the walls, though they left some places bare which were hung with +fresh boughs, were fairer than any he had ever seen, so that he +deemed that they must come from far countries and the City of +Cities: therein were images wrought of warriors and fair women of +old time and their dealings with the Gods and the Giants, and +Wondrous wights; and he deemed that this was the story of some +great kindred, and that their token and the sign of their banner +must needs be the Wood-wolf, for everywhere was it wrought in +these pictured webs. Perforce he looked long and earnestly +at these fair things, for the hall was not dark yet, because the +brands on the hearth were flaming their last, and when +Wild-wearer beheld him so gazing, he stood up and looked too for +a moment, and then smote his right hand on the hilt of his sword, +and turned away and strode up and down the hall as one in angry +thought.</p> +<p>But the woman, even the Friend, bestirred herself for the +service of the guest, and brought water for his hands and feet, +and when she had washed him, bore him the wine of Welcome and +drank to him and bade him drink; and he all the while was +shamefaced; for it was to him as if one of the Ladies of the +Heavenly Burg were doing him service. Then she went away by +a door at the lower end of the hall, and Wild-wearer came and sat +down by Gold-mane, and fell a-talking with him about the ways of +the Dalesmen, and their garths, and the pastures and growths +thereof; and what temper the carles themselves were of; which +were good men, which were ill, which was loved and which scorned; +no otherwise than if he had been the goodman of some neighbouring +<a name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 42</span>dale; and +Gold-mane told him whatso he knew, for he saw no harm +therein.</p> +<p>After a while the outer door opened, and there came in a woman +of some five-and-twenty winters, trimly and strongly built; +short-skirted she was and clad as a hunter, with a bow in her +hand and a quiver at her back: she unslung a pouch, which she +emptied at Wild-wearer’s feet of a leash of hares and two +brace of mountain grouse; of Face-of-god she took but little +heed.</p> +<p>Said Wild-wearer: ‘This is good for to-morrow, not for +to-day; the meat is well-nigh on the board.’</p> +<p>Then Gold-mane smiled, for he called to mind his home-coming +of yesterday. But the woman said:</p> +<p>‘The fault is not mine; she told me of the coming guest +but three hours agone.’</p> +<p>‘Ay?’ said Wild-wearer, ‘she looked for a +guest then?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, certes,’ said the woman, ‘else why +went I forth this afternoon, as wearied as I was with +yesterday?’</p> +<p>‘Well, well,’ said Wild-wearer, ‘get to thy +due work or go play; I meddle not with meat! and for thee all +jests are as bitter earnest.’</p> +<p>‘And with thee, chief,’ she said, ‘it is no +otherwise; surely I am made on thy model.’</p> +<p>‘Thy tongue is longer, friend,’ said he; +‘now tarry if thou wilt, and if the supper’s service +craveth thee not.’</p> +<p>She turned away with one keen look at Face-of-god, and +departed through the door at the lower end of the hall.</p> +<p>By this time the hall was dusk, for there were no candles +there, and the hearth-fire was but smouldering. Wild-wearer +sat silent and musing now, and Face-of-god spake not, for he was +deep in wild and happy dreams. At last the lower door +opened and the fair woman came into the hall with a torch in +either hand, after whom came the huntress, now clad in a dark +blue kirtle, and an old woman yet straight and hale; and these +twain bore in the victuals and the table-gear. Then the +three fell to dighting the <a name="page43"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 43</span>board, and when it was all ready, and +Gold-mane and Wild-wearer were set down to it, and with them the +fair woman and the huntress, the old woman threw good store of +fresh brands on the hearth, so that the light shone into every +corner; and even therewith the outer door opened, and four more +men entered, whereof one was old, but big and stalwarth, the +other three young: they were all clad roughly in sheep-brown +weed, but had helms upon their heads and spears in their hands +and great swords girt to their sides; and they seemed doughty men +and ready for battle. One of the young men cast down by the +door the carcass of a big-horned mountain sheep, and then they +all trooped off to the out-bower by the lower door, and came back +presently fairly clad and without their weapons. +Wild-wearer nodded to them kindly, and they sat at table paying +no more heed to Face-of-god than to cast him a nod for +salutation.</p> +<p>Then said the old woman to them: ‘Well, lads, have ye +been doing or sleeping?’</p> +<p>‘Sleeping, mother,’ said one of the young men, +‘as was but due after last night was, and to-morrow shall +be.’</p> +<p>Said the huntress: ‘Hold thy peace, Wood-wise, and let +thy tongue help thy teeth to deal with thy meat; for this is not +the talking hour.’</p> +<p>‘Nay, Bow-may,’ said another of the swains, +‘since here is a new man, now is the time to talk to +him.’</p> +<p>Said the huntress: ‘’Tis thine hands that talk +best, Wood-wont; it is not they that shall bring thee to +shame.’</p> +<p>Spake the third: ‘What have we to do with shame here, +far away from dooms and doomers, and elders, and wardens, and +guarded castles? If the new man listeth to speak, let him +speak; or to fight, then let him; it shall ever be man to +man.’</p> +<p>Then spake the old woman: ‘Son Wood-wicked, hold thy +peace, and forget the steel that ever eggeth thee on to +draw.’</p> +<p>Therewith she set the last matters on the board, while the +three swains sat and eyed Gold-mane somewhat fiercely, now that +<a name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>words had +stirred them, and he had sat there saying nothing, as one who was +better than they, and contemned them; but now spake +Wild-wearer:</p> +<p>‘Whoso hungreth let him eat! Whoso would slumber, +let him to bed. But he who would bicker, it must needs be +with me. Here is a man of the Dale, who hath sought the +wood in peace, and hath found us. His hand is ready and his +heart is guileless: if ye fear him, run away to the wood, and +come back when he is gone; but none shall mock him while I sit +by: now, lads, be merry and blithe with the guest.’</p> +<p>Then the young men greeted Gold-mane, and the old man said: +‘Art thou of Burgstead? then wilt thou be of the House of +the Face, and thy name will be Face-of-god; for that man is +called the fairest of the Dale, and there shall be none fairer +than thou.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god laughed and said: ‘There be but few mirrors +in Burgdale, and I have no mind to journey west to the cities to +see what manner of man I be: that were ill husbandry. But +now I have heard the names of the three swains, tell me thy name, +father!’</p> +<p>Spake the huntress: ‘This is my father’s brother, +and his name is Wood-father; or ye shall call him so: and I am +called Bow-may because I shoot well in the bow: and this old +carline is my eme’s wife, and now belike my mother, if I +need one. But thou, fair-faced Dalesman, little dost thou +need a mirror in the Dale so long as women abide there; for their +faces shall be instead of mirrors to tell thee whether thou be +fair and lovely.’</p> +<p>Thereat they all laughed and fell to their victual, which was +abundant, of wood-venison and mountain-fowl, but of bread was no +great plenty; wine lacked not, and that of the best; and +Gold-mane noted that the cups and the apparel of the horns and +mazers were not of gold nor gilded copper, but of silver; and he +marvelled thereat, for in the Dale silver was rare.</p> +<p>So they ate and drank, and Gold-mane looked ever on the +Friend, and spake much with her, and he deemed her friendly <a +name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>indeed, and +she seemed most pleased when he spoke best, and led him on to do +so. Wild-wearer was but of few words, and those somewhat +harsh; yet was he as a man striving to be courteous and blithe; +but of the others Bow-may was the greatest speaker.</p> +<p>Wild-wearer called healths to the Sun, and the Moon, and the +Hosts of Heaven; to the Gods of the Earth; to the Woodwights; and +to the Guest. Other healths also he called, the meaning of +which was dark to Gold-mane; to wit, the Jaws of the Wolf; the +Silver Arm; the Red Hand; the Golden Bushel; and the Ragged +Sword. But when he asked the Friend concerning these names +what they might signify, she shook her head and answered not.</p> +<p>At last Wild-wearer cried out: ‘Now, lads, the night +weareth and the guest is weary: therefore whoso of you hath in +him any minstrelsy, now let him make it, for later on it shall be +over-late.’</p> +<p>Then arose Wood-wont and went to his shut-bed and groped +therein, and took from out of it a fiddle in its case; and he +opened the case and drew from it a very goodly fiddle, and he +stood on the floor amidst of the hall and Bow-may his cousin with +him; and he laid his bow on the fiddle and woke up song in it, +and when it was well awake she fell a-singing, and he to +answering her song, and at the last all they of the house sang +together; and this is the meaning of the words which they +sang:</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>She singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Now is the rain upon the day,<br /> + And every water’s wide;<br /> +Why busk ye then to wear the way,<br /> + And whither will ye ride?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>He singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Our kine are on the eyot still,<br /> + The eddies lap them round;<br /> +<a name="page46"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 46</span>All dykes +the wind-worn waters fill,<br /> + And waneth grass and ground.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>She singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">O ride ye to the river’s brim<br /> + In war-weed fair to see?<br /> +Or winter waters will ye swim<br /> + In hauberks to the knee?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>He singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Wild is the day, and dim with rain,<br /> + Our sheep are warded ill;<br /> +The wood-wolves gather for the plain,<br /> + Their ravening maws to fill.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>She singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Nay, what is this, and what have ye,<br /> + A hunter’s band, to bear<br /> +The Banner of our Battle-glee<br /> + The skulking wolves to scare?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>He singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">O women, when we wend our ways<br /> + To deal with death and dread,<br /> +The Banner of our Fathers’ Days<br /> + Must flap the wind o’erhead.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>She singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Ah, for the maidens that ye leave!<br /> + Who now shall save the hay?<br /> +What grooms shall kiss our lips at eve,<br /> + When June hath mastered May?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>He singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">The wheat is won, the seed is sown,<br /> + Here toileth many a maid,<br /> +<a name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 47</span>And ere +the hay knee-deep hath grown<br /> + Your grooms the grass shall wade.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>They sing all together</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Then fair befall the mountain-side<br /> + Whereon the play shall be!<br /> +And fair befall the summer-tide<br /> + That whoso lives shall see.</p> +<p>Face-of-god thought the song goodly, but to the others it was +well known. Then said Wood-father:</p> +<p>‘O foster-son, thy foster-brother hath sung well for a +wood abider; but we are deeming that his singing shall be but as +a starling to a throstle matched against thy new-come +guest. Therefore, Dalesman, sing us a song of the Dale, and +if ye will, let it be of gardens and pleasant houses of stone, +and fair damsels therein, and swains with them who toil not +over-much for a scant livelihood, as do they of the waste, whose +heads may not be seen in the Holy Places.’</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘Father, it is ill to set the words of a +lonely man afar from his kin against the song that cometh from +the heart of a noble house; yet may I not gainsay thee, but will +sing to thee what I may call to mind, and it is called the Song +of the Ford.’</p> +<p>Therewith he sang in a sweet and clear voice: and this is the +meaning of his words:</p> +<p class="poetry">In hay-tide, through the day new-born,<br /> + Across the meads we come;<br /> +Our hauberks brush the blossomed corn<br /> + A furlong short of home.</p> +<p class="poetry">Ere yet the gables we behold<br /> + Forth flasheth the red sun,<br /> +And smites our fallow helms and cold<br /> + Though all the fight be done.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +48</span>In this last mend of mowing-grass<br /> + Sweet doth the clover smell,<br /> +Crushed neath our feet red with the pass<br /> + Where hell was blent with hell.</p> +<p class="poetry">And now the willowy stream is nigh,<br /> + Down wend we to the ford;<br /> +No shafts across its fishes fly,<br /> + Nor flasheth there a sword.</p> +<p class="poetry">But lo! what gleameth on the bank<br /> + Across the water wan,<br /> +As when our blood the mouse-ear drank<br /> + And red the river ran?</p> +<p class="poetry">Nay, hasten to the ripple clear,<br /> + Look at the grass beyond!<br /> +Lo ye the dainty band and dear<br /> + Of maidens fair and fond!</p> +<p class="poetry">Lo how they needs must take the stream!<br /> + The water hides their feet;<br /> +On fair kind arms the gold doth gleam,<br /> + And midst the ford we meet.</p> +<p class="poetry">Up through the garden two and two,<br /> + And on the flowers we drip;<br /> +Their wet feet kiss the morning dew<br /> + As lip lies close to lip.</p> +<p class="poetry">Here now we sing; here now we stay:<br /> + By these grey walls we tell<br /> +The love that lived from out the fray,<br /> + The love that fought and fell.</p> +<p>When he was done they all said that he had sung well, and <a +name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 49</span>that the song +was sweet. Yet did Wild-wearer smile somewhat; and Bow-may +said outright: ‘Soft is the song, and hath been made by +lads and minstrels rather than by warriors.’</p> +<p>‘Nay, kinswoman,’ said Wood-father, ‘thou +art hard to please; the guest is kind, and hath given us that I +asked for, and I give him all thanks therefor.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god smiled, but he heeded little what they said, for +as he sang he had noted that the Friend looked kindly on him; and +he thought he saw that once or twice she put out her hand as if +to touch him, but drew it back again each time. She spake +after a little and said:</p> +<p>‘Here now hath been a stream of song running betwixt the +Mountain and the Dale even as doth a river; and this is good to +come between our dreams of what hath been and what shall +be.’ Then she turned to Gold-mane, and said to him +scarce loud enough for all to hear:</p> +<p>‘Herewith I bid thee good-night, O Dalesman; and this +other word I have to thee: heed not what befalleth in the night, +but sleep thy best, for nought shall be to thy scathe. And +when thou wakest in the morning, if we are yet here, it is well; +but if we are not, then abide us no long while, but break thy +fast on the victual thou wilt find upon the board, and so depart +and go thy ways home. And yet thou mayst look to it to see +us again before thou diest.’</p> +<p>Therewith she held out her hand to him, and he took it and +kissed it; and she went to her chamber-aloft at the lower end of +the hall. And when she was gone, once more he had a deeming +of her that she was of the kindred of the Gods. At her +departure him-seemed that the hall grew dull and small and smoky, +and the night seemed long to him and doubtful the coming of the +day.</p> +<h2><a name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +50</span>CHAPTER VII. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND +ON THE MOUNTAIN.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">So</span> now went all men to bed; and +Face-to-god’s shut-bed was over against the outer door and +toward the lower end of the hall, and on the panel about it hung +the weapons and shields of men. Fair was that chamber and +roomy, and the man was weary despite his eagerness, so that he +went to sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow; but within +a while (he deemed about two hours after midnight) he was awaked +by the clattering of the weapons against the panel, and the sound +of men’s hands taking them down; and when he was fully +awake, he heard withal men going up and down the house as if on +errands: but he called to mind what the Friend had said to him, +and he did not so much as turn himself toward the hall; for he +said: ‘Belike these men are outlaws and Wolves of the Holy +Places, yet by seeming they are good fellows and nought churlish, +nor have I to do with taking up the feud against them. I +will abide the morning. Yet meseemeth that she drew me +hither: for what cause?’</p> +<p>Therewith he fell asleep again, and dreamed no more. But +when he awoke the sun was shining broad upon the hall-floor, and +he sat up and listened, but could hear no sound save the moaning +of the wind in the pine-boughs and the chatter of the starlings +about the gables of the house; and the place seemed so exceeding +lonely to him that he was in a manner feared by that +loneliness.</p> +<p>Then he arose and clad himself, and went forth into the hall +and gazed about him, and at first he deemed indeed that there was +no one therein. But at last he looked and beheld the upper +gable and there underneath a most goodly hanging was the glorious +shape of a woman sitting on a bench covered over with a cloth of +gold and silver; and he looked and looked to see if the woman +might stir, and if she were alive, and she turned her head toward +him, and lo it was the Friend; and his heart rose to his mouth +for wonder and fear and desire. For now he doubted whether +the <a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 51</span>other +folk were aught save shows and shadows, and she the Goddess who +had fashioned them out of nothing for his bewilderment, presently +to return to nothing.</p> +<p>Yet whatever he might fear or doubt, he went up the hall +towards her till he was quite nigh to her, and there he stood +silent, wondering at her beauty and desiring her kindness.</p> +<p>Grey-eyed she was like her brother; but her hair the colour of +red wheat: her lips full and red, her chin round, her nose fine +and straight. Her hands and all her body fashioned +exceeding sweetly and delicately; yet not as if she were an image +of which the like might be found if the craftsman were but deft +enough to make a perfect thing, but in such a way that there was +none like to her for those that had eyes to behold her as she +was; and none could ever be made like to her, even by such a +master-craftsman as could fashion a body without a blemish.</p> +<p>She was clad in a white smock, whose hems were broidered with +gold wire and precious gems of the Mountains, and over that a +gown woven of gold and silver: scarce hath the world such +another. On her head was a fillet of gold and gems, and +there were wondrous gold rings on her arms: her feet lay bare on +the dark grey wolf-skin that was stretched before her.</p> +<p>She smiled kindly upon his solemn and troubled face, and her +voice sounded strangely familiar to him coming from all that +loveliness, as she said: ‘Hail, Face-of-god! here am I left +alone, although I deemed last night that I should be gone with +the others. Therefore am I fain to show myself to thee in +fairer array than yesternight; for though we dwell in the +wild-wood, from the solace of folk, yet are we not of +thralls’ blood. But come now, I bid thee break thy +fast and talk with me a little while; and then shalt thou depart +in peace.’</p> +<p>Spake Face-of-god, and his voice trembled as he spake: +‘What art thou? Last night I deemed at whiles once +and again that thou wert of the Gods; and now that I behold thee +thus, and it is broad daylight, and of those others is no more to +be seen <a name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +52</span>than if they had never lived, I cannot but deem that it +is even so, and that thou comest from the City that shall never +perish. Now if thou be a goddess, I have nought to pray +thee, save to slay me speedily if thou hast a mind for my +death. But if thou art a woman—’</p> +<p>She broke in: ‘Gold-mane, stay thy prayer and hold thy +peace for this time, lest thou repent when repentance availeth +not. And this I say because I am none of the Gods nor akin +to them, save far off through the generations, as art thou also, +and all men of goodly kindred. Now I bid thee eat thy meat, +since ’tis ill talking betwixt a full man and a fasting; +and I have dight it myself with mine own hands; for Bow-may and +the Wood-mother went away with the rest three hours before +dawn. Come sit and eat as thou hast a hardy heart; as +forsooth thou shouldest do if I were a very goddess. Take +heed, friend, lest I take thee for some damsel of the lower Dale +arrayed in Earl’s garments.’</p> +<p>She laughed therewith, and leaned toward him and put forth her +hand to him, and he took it and caressed it; and the exceeding +beauty of her body and of the raiment which was as it were a part +of her and her loveliness, made her laughter and her friendly +words strange to him, as if one did not belong to the other; as +in a dream it might be. Nevertheless he did as she bade +him, and sat at the board and ate, while she leaned forward on +the arm of her chair and spake to him in friendly wise. And +he wondered as she spake that she knew so much of him and his: +and he kept saying to himself: ‘She drew me hither; +wherefore did she so?’</p> +<p>But she said: ‘Gold-mane, how fareth thy father the +Alderman? is he as good a wright as ever?’</p> +<p>He told her: Yea, that ever was his hammer on the iron, the +copper, and the gold, and that no wright in the Dale was as deft +as he.</p> +<p>Said she: ‘Would he not have had thee seek to the +Cities, to see the ways of the outer world?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said he.</p> +<p><a name="page53"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 53</span>She +said: ‘Thou wert wise to naysay that offer; thou shalt have +enough to do in the Dale and round about it in twelve +months’ time.’</p> +<p>‘Art thou foresighted?’ said he.</p> +<p>‘Folk have called me so,’ she said, ‘but I +wot not. But thy brother Hall-face, how fareth +he?’</p> +<p>‘Well;’ said he, ‘to my deeming he is the +Sword of our House, and the Warrior of the Dale, if the days were +ready for him.’</p> +<p>‘And Stone-face, that stark ancient,’ she said, +‘doth he still love the Folk of the Dale, and hate all +other folks?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ he said, ‘I know not that, but I know +that he loveth as, and above all me and my father.’</p> +<p>Again she spake: ‘How fareth the Bride, the fair maid to +whom thou art affianced?’</p> +<p>As she spake, it was to him as if his heart was stricken cold; +but he put a force upon himself, and neither reddened nor +whitened, nor changed countenance in any way; so he answered:</p> +<p>‘She was well the eve of yesterday.’ Then he +remembered what she was, and her beauty and valour, and he +constrained himself to say: ‘Each day she groweth fairer; +there is no man’s son and no daughter of woman that does +not love her; yea, the very beasts of field and fold love +her.’</p> +<p>The Friend looked at him steadily and spake no word, but a red +flush mounted to her cheeks and brow and changed her face; and he +marvelled thereat; for still he misdoubted that she was a +Goddess. But it passed away in a moment, and she smiled and +said:</p> +<p>‘Guest, thou seemest to wonder that I know concerning +thee and the Dale and thy kindred. But now shalt thou wot +that I have been in the Dale once and again, and my brother +oftener still; and that I have seen thee before +yesterday.’</p> +<p>‘That is marvellous,’ quoth he, ‘for sure am +I that I have not seen thee.’</p> +<p><a name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +54</span>‘Yet thou hast seen me,’ she said; +‘yet not altogether as I am now;’ and therewith she +smiled on him friendly.</p> +<p>‘How is this?’ said he; ‘art thou a +skin-changer?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, in a fashion,’ she said. +‘Hearken! dost thou perchance remember a day of last summer +when there was a market holden in Burgstead; and there stood in +the way over against the House of the Face a tall old carle who +was trucking deer-skins for diverse gear; and with him was a +queen, tall and dark-skinned, somewhat well-liking, her hair +bound up in a white coif so that none of it could be seen; by the +token that she had a large stone of mountain blue set in silver +stuck in the said coif?’</p> +<p>As she spoke she set her hand to her bosom and drew something +from it, and held forth her hand to Gold-mane, and lo amidst the +palm the great blue stone set in silver.</p> +<p>‘Wondrous as a dream is this,’ said Face-of-god, +‘for these twain I remember well, and what +followed.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘I will tell thee that. There came a man +of the Shepherd-Folk, drunk or foolish, or both, who began to +chaffer with the big carle; but ever on the queen were his eyes +set, and presently he put forth his hand to her to clip her, +whereon the big carle hove up his fist and smote him, so that he +fell to earth noseling. Then ran the folk together to hale +off the stranger and help the shepherd, and it was like that the +stranger should be mishandled. Then there thrust through +the press a young man with yellow hair and grey eyes, who cried +out, “Fellows, let be! The stranger had the right of +it; this is no matter to make a quarrel or a court case of. +Let the market go on! This man and maid are true +folk.” So when the folk heard the young man and his +bidding, they forebore and let the carle and the queen be, and +the shepherd went his ways little hurt. Now then, who was +this young man?’</p> +<p>Quoth Gold-mane: ‘It was even I, and meseemeth it was no +great deed to do.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘and the big carle was my +brother, and the tall queen, it was myself.’</p> +<p><a name="page55"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +55</span>‘How then,’ said he, ‘for she was as +dark-skinned as a dwarf, and thou so bright and fair?’</p> +<p>She said: ‘Well, if the woods are good for nothing else, +yet are they good for the growing of herbs, and I know the craft +of simpling; and with one of these herbs had I stained my skin +and my brother’s also. And it showed the darker +beneath the white coif.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said he, ‘but why must ye needs fare +in feigned shapes? Ye would have been welcome guests in the +Dale howsoever ye had come.’</p> +<p>‘I may not tell thee hereof as now,’ said she.</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘Yet thou mayst belike tell me wherefore +was that thy brother desired to slay me yesterday, if he knew me, +who I was.’</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane,’ she said, ‘thou art not slain, +so little story need be made of that: for the rest, belike he +knew thee not at that moment. So it falls with us, that we +look to see foes rather than friends in the wild-woods. +Many uncouth things are therein. Moreover, I must tell thee +of my brother that whiles he is as the stalled bull late let +loose, and nothing is good to him save battle and onset; and then +is he blind and knows not friend from foe.’ Said +Face-of-god: ‘Thou hast asked of me and mine; wilt thou not +tell me of thee and thine?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, ‘not as now; thou must +betake thee to the way. Whither wert thou wending when thou +happenedst upon us?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘I know not; I was seeking something, but I +knew not what—meseemeth that now I have found +it.’</p> +<p>‘Art thou for the great mountains seeking gems?’ +she said. ‘Yet go not thither to-day: for who knoweth +what thou shalt meet there that shall be thy foe?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Nay, nay; I have nought to do but to abide +here as long as I may, looking upon thee and hearkening to thy +voice.’</p> +<p>Her eyes were upon his, but yet she did not seem to see him, +and for a while she answered not; and still he wondered that mere +words should come from so fair a thing; for whether she moved <a +name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>foot, or +hand, or knee, or turned this way or that, each time she stirred +it was a caress to his very heart.</p> +<p>He spake again: ‘May I not abide here a while? +What scathe may be in that?’</p> +<p>‘It is not so,’ she said; ‘thou must depart, +and that straightway: lo, there lieth thy spear which the +Wood-mother hath brought in from the waste. Take thy gear +to thee and wend thy ways. Have patience! I will lead +thee to the place where we first met and there give thee +farewell.’</p> +<p>Therewith she arose and he also perforce, and when they came +to the doorway she stepped across the threshold and then turned +back and gave him her hand and so led him forth, the sun flashing +back from her golden raiment. Together they went over the +short grey grass of that hillside till they came to the place +where he had arisen from that wrestle with her brother. +There she stayed him and said:</p> +<p>‘This is the place; here must we part.’</p> +<p>But his heart failed him and he faltered in his speech as he +said:</p> +<p>‘When shall I see thee again? Wilt thou slay me if +I seek to thee hither once more?’</p> +<p>‘Hearken,’ she said, ‘autumn is now a-dying +into winter: let winter and its snows go past: nor seek to me +hither; for me thou should’st not find, but thy death thou +mightest well fall in with; and I would not that thou shouldest +die. When winter is gone, and spring is on the land, if +thou hast not forgotten us thou shalt meet us again. Yet +shalt thou go further than this Woodland Hall. In Shadowy +Vale shalt thou seek to me then, and there will I talk with +thee.’</p> +<p>‘And where,’ said he, ‘is Shadowy Vale? for +thereof have I never heard tell.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘The token when it cometh to thee shall show +thee thereof and the way thither. Art thou a babbler, +Gold-mane?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘I have won no prize for babbling +hitherto.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘If thou listest to babble concerning what +hath befallen <a name="page57"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +57</span>thee on the Mountain, so do, and repent it once only, +that is, thy life long.’</p> +<p>‘Why should I say any word thereof?’ said +he. ‘Dost thou not know the sweetness of such a tale +untold?’</p> +<p>He spake as one who is somewhat wrathful, and she answered +humbly and kindly:</p> +<p>‘Well is that. Bide thou the token that shall lead +thee to Shadowy Vale. Farewell now.’</p> +<p>She drew her hand from his, and turned and went her ways +swiftly to the house: he could not choose but gaze on her as she +went glittering-bright and fair in that grey place of the +mountains, till the dark doorway swallowed up her beauty. +Then he turned away and took the path through the pine-woods, +muttering to himself as he went:</p> +<p>‘What thing have I done now that hitherto I had not +done? What manner of man am I to-day other than the man I +was yesterday?’</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME AGAIN TO +BURGSTEAD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Face-of-God</span> went back through the +wood by the way he had come, paying little heed to the things +about him. For whatever he thought of strayed not one whit +from the image of the Fair Woman of the Mountain-side.</p> +<p>He went through the wood swiftlier than yesterday, and made no +stay for noon or aught else, nor did he linger on the road when +he was come into the Dale, either to speak to any or to note what +they did. So he came to the House of the Face about dusk, +and found no man within the hall either carle or queen. So +he cried out on the folk, and there came in a damsel of the +house, whom he greeted kindly and she him again. He bade +her bring the washing-water, and she did so and washed his feet +and his <a name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +58</span>hands. She was a fair maid enough, as were most in +the Dale, but he heeded her little; and when she was done he +kissed not her cheek for her pains, as his wont was, but let her +go her ways unthanked. But he went to his shut-bed and +opened his chest, and drew fair raiment from it, and did off his +wood-gear, and did on him a goodly scarlet kirtle fairly +broidered, and a collar with gems of price therein, and other +braveries. And when he was so attired he came out into the +hall, and there was old Stone-face standing by the hearth, which +was blazing brightly with fresh brands, so that things were clear +to see.</p> +<p>Stone-face noted Gold-mane’s gay raiment, for he was not +wont to wear such attire, save on the feasts and high days when +he behoved to. So the old man smiled and said:</p> +<p>‘Welcome back from the Wood! But what is it? +Hast thou been wedded there, or who hath made thee Earl and +King?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Foster-father, sooth it is that I +have been to the wood, but there have I seen nought of manfolk +worse than myself. Now as to my raiment, needs must I keep +it from the moth. And I am weary withal, and this kirtle is +light and easy to me. Moreover, I look to see the Bride +here again, and I would pleasure her with the sight of gay +raiment upon me.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Stone-face, ‘hast thou not seen +some woman in the wood arrayed like the image of a God? and hath +she not bidden thee thus to worship her to-night? For I +know that such wights be in the wood, and that such is their +wont.’</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘I worship nought save the Gods and the +Fathers. Nor saw I in the wood any such as thou +sayest.’</p> +<p>Therewith Stone-face shook his head; but after a while he +said:</p> +<p>‘Art thou for the wood to-morrow?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Gold-mane angrily, knitting his +brows.</p> +<p>‘The morrow of to-morrow,’ said Stone-face, +‘is the day when we look to see the Westland merchants: +after all, wilt thou not go hence with them when they wend their +ways back before the first snows fall?’</p> +<p><a name="page59"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +59</span>‘Nay,’ said he, ‘I have no mind to it, +fosterer; cease egging me on hereto.’</p> +<p>Then Stone-face shook his head again, and looked on him long, +and muttered: ‘To the wood wilt thou go to-morrow or next +day; or some day when doomed is thine undoing.’</p> +<p>Therewith entered the service and torches, and presently after +came the Alderman with Hall-face; and Iron-face greeted his son +and said to him: ‘Thou hast not hit the time to do on thy +gay raiment, for the Bride will not be here to-night; she bideth +still at the Feast at the Apple-tree House: or wilt thou be +there, son?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Face-of-god, ‘I am +over-weary. And as for my raiment, it is well; it is for +thine honour and the honour of the name.’</p> +<p>So to table they went, and Iron-face asked his son of his ways +again, and whether he was quite fixed in his mind not to go down +to the Plain and the Cities: ‘For,’ said he, +‘the morrow of to-morrow shall the merchants be here, and +this were great news for them if the son of the Alderman should +be their faring-fellow back.’</p> +<p>But Face-of-god answered without any haste or heat: +‘Nay, father, it may not be: fear not, thou shalt see that +I have a good will to work and live in the Dale.’</p> +<p>And in good sooth, though he was a young man and loved mirth +and the ways of his own will, he was a stalwarth workman, and few +could mow a match with him in the hay-month and win it; or fell +trees as certainly and swiftly, or drive as straight and clean a +furrow through the stiff land of the lower Dale; and in other +matters also was he deft and sturdy.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX. THOSE BRETHREN FARE TO THE YEWWOOD WITH THE +BRIDE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Next</span> morning Face-of-god dight +himself for work, and took his axe; for his brother Hall-face had +bidden him go down with him to the Yew-wood and cut timber there, +<a name="page60"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 60</span>since he +of all men knew where to go straight to the sticks that would +quarter best for bow-staves; whereas the Alderman had the right +of hewing in that wood. So they went forth, those brethren, +from the House of the Face, but when they were gotten to the +gate, who should be there but the Bride awaiting them, and she +with an ass duly saddled for bearing the yew-sticks. +Because Hall-face had told her that he and belike Gold-mane were +going to hew in the wood, and she thought it good to be of the +company, as oft had befallen erst. When they met she +greeted Face-of-god and kissed him as her wont was; and he looked +upon her and saw how fair she was, and how kind and friendly were +her eyes that beheld him, and how her whole face was eager for +him as their lips parted. Then his heart failed him, when +he knew that he no longer desired her as she did him, and he said +within himself:</p> +<p>‘Would that she had been of our nighest kindred! +Would that I had had a sister and that this were she!’</p> +<p>So the three went along the highway down the Dale, and +Hall-face and the Bride talked merrily together and laughed, for +she was happy, since she knew that Gold-mane had been to the wood +and was back safe and much as he had been before. So indeed +it seemed of him; for though at first he was moody and of few +words, yet presently he cursed himself for a mar-sport, and so +fell into the talk, and enforced himself to be merry; and soon he +was so indeed; for he thought: ‘She drew me thither: she +hath a deed for me to do. I shall do the deed and have my +reward. Soon will the spring-tide be here, and I shall be a +young man yet when it comes.’</p> +<p>So came they to the place where he had met the three maidens +yesterday; there they also turned from the highway; and as they +went down the bent, Gold-mane could not but turn his eyes on the +beauty of the Bride and the lovely ways of her body: but +presently he remembered all that had betid, and turned away again +as one who is noting what it behoves him not to note. And +he said to himself: ‘Where art thou, Gold-mane? Whose +art thou? <a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +61</span>Yea, even if that had been but a dream that I have +dreamed, yet would that this fair woman were my +sister!’</p> +<p>So came they to the Yew-wood, and the brethren fell to work, +and the Bride with them, for she was deft with the axe and strong +withal. But at midday they rested on the green slope +without the Yew-wood; and they ate bread and flesh and onions and +apples, and drank red wine of the Dale. And while they were +resting after their meat, the Bride sang to them, and her song +was a lay of time past; and here ye have somewhat of it:</p> +<p class="poetry">’Tis over the hill and over the dale<br +/> + Men ride from the city fast and far,<br /> +If they may have a soothfast tale,<br /> + True tidings of the host of war.</p> +<p class="poetry">And first they hap on men-at-arms,<br /> + All clad in steel from head to foot:<br /> +Now tell true tale of the new-come harms,<br /> + And the gathered hosts of the mountain-root.</p> +<p class="poetry">Fair sirs, from murder-carles we flee,<br /> + Whose fashion is as the mountain-trolls’;<br +/> +No man can tell how many they be,<br /> + And the voice of their host as the thunder +rolls.</p> +<p class="poetry">They were weary men at the ending of day,<br /> + But they spurred nor stayed for longer word.<br /> +Now ye, O merchants, whither away?<br /> + What do ye there with the helm and the sword?</p> +<p class="poetry">O we must fight for life and gear,<br /> + For our beasts are spent and our wains are +stayed,<br /> +And the host of the Mountain-men draws near,<br /> + That maketh all the world afraid.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page62"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +62</span>They left the chapmen on the hill,<br /> + And through the eve and through the night<br /> +They rode to have true tidings still,<br /> + And were there on the way when the dawn was +bright.</p> +<p class="poetry">O damsels fair, what do ye then<br /> + To loiter thus upon the way,<br /> +And have no fear of the Mountain-men,<br /> + The host of the carles that strip and slay?</p> +<p class="poetry">O riders weary with the road,<br /> + Come eat and drink on the grass hereby!<br /> +And lay you down in a fair abode<br /> + Till the midday sun is broad and high;</p> +<p class="poetry">Then unto you shall we come aback,<br /> + And lead you forth to the Mountain-men,<br /> +To note their plenty and their lack,<br /> + And have true tidings there and then.</p> +<p class="poetry">’Tis over the hill and over the dale<br +/> + They ride from the mountain fast and far;<br /> +And now have they learned a soothfast tale,<br /> + True tidings of the host of war.</p> +<p class="poetry">It was summer-tide and the Month of Hay,<br /> + And men and maids must fare afield;<br /> +But we saw the place were the bow-staves lay,<br /> + And the hall was hung with spear and shield.</p> +<p class="poetry">When the moon was high we drank in the hall,<br +/> + And they drank to the guests and were kind and +blithe,<br /> +And they said: Come back when the chestnuts fall,<br /> + And the wine-carts wend across the hythe.</p> +<p class="poetry">Come oft and o’er again, they said;<br /> + Wander your ways; but we abide<br /> +<a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>For all +the world in the little stead;<br /> + For wise are we, though the world be wide.</p> +<p class="poetry">Yea, come in arms if ye will, they said;<br /> + And despite your host shall we abide<br /> +For life or death in the little stead;<br /> + For wise are we, though the world be wide.</p> +<p>So she made an end and looked at the fairness of the dale +spreading wide before her, and a robin came nigh from out of a +thorn-bush and sung his song also, the sweet herald of coming +winter; and the lapwings wheeled about, black and white, above +the meadow by the river, sending forth their wheedling pipe as +they hung above the soft turf.</p> +<p>She felt the brothers near her, and knew their friendliness +from of old, and she was happy; nor had she looked closer at +Gold-mane would she have noted any change in him belike; for the +meat and the good wine, and the fair sunny time, and the +Bride’s sweet voice, and the ancient song softened his +heart while it fed the desire therein.</p> +<p>So in a while they arose from their rest and did what was left +them of their work, and so went back to Burgstead through the +fair afternoon; by seeming all three in all content. But +yet Gold-mane, as from time to time he looked upon the Bride, +kept saying to himself: ‘O if she had been but my sister! +sweet had the kinship been!’</p> +<h2>CHAPTER X. NEW TIDINGS IN THE DALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was three days thereafter that +Gold-mane, leading an ass, went along the highway to fetch home +certain fleeces which were needed for the house from a stead a +little west of Wildlake; but he had gone scant half a mile ere he +fell in with a <a name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +64</span>throng of folk going to Burgstead. They were of +the Shepherds; they had weapons with them, and some were clad in +coats of fence. They went along making a great noise, for +they were all talking each to each at the same time, and seemed +very hot and eager about some matter. When they saw +Gold-mane anigh, they stopped, and the throng opened as if to let +him into their midmost; so he mingled with them, and they stood +in a ring about him and an old man more ill-favoured than it was +the wont of the Dalesmen to be.</p> +<p>For he was long, stooping, gaunt and spindle-shanked, his +hands big and crippled with gout: his cheeks were red after an +old man’s fashion, covered with a crimson network like a +pippin; his lips thin and not well hiding his few teeth; his nose +long like a snipe’s neb. In short, a shame and a +laughing-stock to the Folk, and a man whom the kindreds had in +small esteem, and that for good reasons.</p> +<p>Face-of-god knew him at once for a notable close-fist and +starve-all fool of the Shepherds; and his name was now become +Penny-thumb the Lean, whatever it might once have been.</p> +<p>So Face-of-god greeted all men, and they him again; and he +said: ‘What aileth you, neighbours? Your weapons, are +bare, but I see not that they be bloody. What is it, +goodman Penny-thumb?’</p> +<p>Penny-thumb did but groan for all answer; but a stout carle +who stood by with a broad grin on his face answered and said:</p> +<p>‘Face-of-god, evil tidings be abroad; the strong-thieves +of the wood are astir; and some deem that the wood-wights be +helping them.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, and what is the deed they have done?’ said +Gold-mane.</p> +<p>Said the carle: ‘Thou knowest Penny-thumb’s +abode?’</p> +<p>‘Yea surely,’ said Face-of-god; ‘fair are +the water-meadows about it; great gain of cheese can be gotten +thence.’</p> +<p>‘Hast thou been within the house?’ said the +carle.</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Gold-mane.</p> +<p><a name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>Then +spake Penny-thumb: ‘Within is scant gear: we gather for +others to scatter; we make meat for others’ +mouths.’</p> +<p>The carle laughed: ‘Sooth is that,’ said he, +‘that there is little gear therein now; for the +strong-thieves have voided both hall and bower and +byre.’</p> +<p>‘And when was that?’ said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>‘The night before last night,’ said the carle, +‘the door was smitten on, and when none answered it was +broken down.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ quoth Penny-thumb, ‘a host entered, +and they in arms.’</p> +<p>‘No host was within,’ said the carle, +‘nought but Penny-thumb and his sister and his +sister’s son, and three carles that work for him; and one +of them, Rusty to wit, was the worst man of the +hill-country. These then the host whereof the goodman +telleth bound, but without doing them any scathe; and they +ransacked the house, and took away much gear; yet left +some.’</p> +<p>‘Thou liest,’ said Penny-thumb; ‘they took +little and left none.’</p> +<p>Thereat all men laughed, for this seemed to them good game, +and another man said: ‘Well, neighbour Penny-thumb, if it +was so little, thou hast done unneighbourly in giving us such a +heap of trouble about it.’</p> +<p>And they laughed again, but the first carle said: ‘True +it is, goodman, that thou wert exceeding eager to raise the hue +and cry after that little when we happed upon thee and thy +housemates bound in your chairs yesterday morning. Well, +Alderman’s son, short is the tale to tell: we could not +fail to follow the gear, and the slot led us into the wood, and +ill is the going there for us shepherds, who are used to the bare +downs, save Rusty, who was a good woodsman and lifted the slot +for us; so he outwent us all, and ran out of sight of us, so +presently we came upon him dead-slain, with the manslayer’s +spear in his breast. What then could we do but turn back +again, for now was the wood blind now Rusty was dead, and we knew +not whither to follow the fray; and the man himself was but +little loss: so back we turned, and told goodman Penny-thumb of +all this, for we had left him <a name="page66"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 66</span>alone in his hall lamenting his gear; +so we bided to-day’s morn, and have come out now, with our +neighbour and the spear, and the dead corpse of Rusty. +Stand aside, neighbours, and let the Alderman’s son see +it.’</p> +<p>They did so, and there was the corpse of a thin-faced tall +wiry man, somewhat foxy of aspect, lying on a hand-bier covered +with black cloth.</p> +<p>‘Yea, Face-of-god,’ said the carle, ‘he is +not good to see now he is dead, yet alive was he worser: but, +look you, though the man was no good man, yet was he of our +people, and the feud is with us; so we would see the Alderman, +and do him to wit of the tidings, that he may call the neighbours +together to seek a blood-wite for Rusty and atonement for the +ransacking. Or what sayest thou?’</p> +<p>‘Have ye the spear that ye found in Rusty?’ quoth +Gold-mane.</p> +<p>‘Yea verily,’ said the carle. ‘Hither +with it, neighbours; give it to the Alderman’s +son.’</p> +<p>So the spear came into his hand, and he looked at it and +said:</p> +<p>‘This is no spear of the smiths’ work of the Dale, +as my father will tell you. We take but little keep of the +forging of spearheads here, so that they be well-tempered and +made so as to ride well on the shaft; but this head, daintily is +it wrought, the blood-trench as clean and trim as though it were +an Earl’s sword. See you withal this inlaying of +runes on the steel? It is done with no tin or copper, but +with very silver; and these bands about the shaft be of silver +also. It is a fair weapon, and the owner hath a loss of it +greater than his gain in the slaying of Rusty; and he will have +left it in the wound so that he might be known hereafter, and +that he might be said not to have murdered Rusty but to have +slain him. Or how think ye?’</p> +<p>They all said that this seemed like to be; but that if the man +who had slain Rusty were one of the ransackers they might have a +blood-wite of him, if they could find him. Gold-mane said +that so it was, and therewithal he gave the shepherds good-speed +and went on his way.</p> +<p><a name="page67"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 67</span>But +they came to Burgstead and found the Alderman, and in due time +was a Court held, and a finding uttered, and outlawry given forth +for the manslaying and the ransacking against certain men +unknown. As for the spear, it was laid up in the House of +the Face.</p> +<p>But Face-of-god pondered these matters in his mind, for such +ransackings there had been none of in late years; and he said to +himself that his friends of the Mountain must have other folk, of +which the Dalesmen knew nought, whose gear they could lift, or +how could they live in that place. And he marvelled that +they should risk drawing the Dalesmen’s wrath upon them; +whereas they of the Dale were strong men not easily daunted, +albeit peaceable enough if not stirred to wrath. For in +good sooth he had no doubt concerning that spear, whose it was +and whence it came: for that very weapon had been leaning against +the panel of his shut-bed the night he slept on the Mountain, and +all the other spears that he saw there were more or less of the +same fashion, and adorned with silver.</p> +<p>Albeit all that he knew, and all that he thought of, he kept +in his own heart and said nothing of it.</p> +<p>So wore the autumn into early winter; and the Westland +merchants came in due time, and departed without Face-of-god, +though his father made him that offer one last time. He +went to and fro about his work in the Dale, and seemed to most +men’s eyes nought changed from what he had been. But +the Bride noted that he saw her less often than his wont was, and +abode with her a lesser space when he met her; and she could not +think what this might mean; nor had she heart to ask him thereof, +though she was sorry and grieved, but rather withdrew her company +from him somewhat; and when she perceived that he noted it not, +and made no question of it, then was she the sorrier.</p> +<p>But the first winter-snow came on with a great storm of wind +from the north-east, so that no man stirred abroad who was not +compelled thereto, and those who went abroad risked life and limb +<a name="page68"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +68</span>thereby. Next morning all was calm again, and the +snow was deep, but it did not endure long, for the wind shifted +to the southwest and the thaw came, and three days after, when +folk could fare easily again up and down the Dale, came tidings +to Burgstead and the Alderman from the Lower Dale, how a house +called Greentofts had been ransacked there, and none knew by +whom. Now the goodman of Greentofts was little loved of the +neighbours: he was grasping and overbearing, and had often cowed +others out of their due: he was very cross-grained, both at home +and abroad: his wife had fled from his hand, neither did his sons +find it good to abide with him: therewithal he was wealthy of +goods, a strong man and a deft man-at-arms. When his sons +and his wife departed from him, and none other of the Dalesmen +cared to abide with him, he went down into the Plain, and got +thence men to be with him for hire, men who were not well seen to +in their own land. These to the number of twelve abode with +him, and did his bidding whenso it pleased them. Two more +had he had who had been slain by good men of the Dale for their +masterful ways; and no blood-wite had been paid for them, because +of their ill-doings, though they had not been made outlaws. +This man of Greentofts was called Harts-bane after his father, +who was a great hunter.</p> +<p>Now the full tidings of the ransacking were these: The storm +began two hours before sunset, and an hour thereafter, when it +was quite dark, for without none could see because the wind was +at its height and the drift of the snow was hard and full, the +hall-door flew open; and at first men thought it had been the +wind, until they saw in the dimness (for all lights but the fire +on the hearth had been quenched) certain things tumbling in which +at first they deemed were wolves; but when they took swords and +staves against them, lo they were met by swords and axes, and +they saw that the seeming wolves were men with wolf-skins drawn +over them. So the new-comers cowed them that they threw +down their weapons, and were bound in their places; but when they +<a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 69</span>were +bound, and had had time to note who the ransackers were, they saw +that there were but six of them all told, who had cowed and bound +Harts-bane and his twelve masterful men; and this they deemed a +great shaming to them, as might well be.</p> +<p>So then the stead was ransacked, and those wolves took away +what they would, and went their ways through the fierce storm, +and none could tell whether they had lived or died in it; but at +least neither the men nor their prey were seen again; nor did +they leave any slot, for next morning the snow lay deep over +everything.</p> +<p>No doubt had Gold-mane but that these ransackers were his +friends of the Mountain; but he held his peace, abiding till the +winter should be over.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI. MEN MAKE OATH AT BURGSTEAD ON THE HOLY +BOAR.</h2> +<p>A <span class="smcap">week</span> after the ransacking at +Greentofts the snow and the winter came on in earnest, and all +the Dale lay in snow, and men went on skids when they fared up +and down the Dale or on the Mountain.</p> +<p>All was now tidingless till Yule over, and in Burgstead was +there feasting and joyance enough; and especially at the House of +the Face was high-tide holden, and the Alderman and his sons and +Stone-face and all the kindred and all their men sat in glorious +attire within the hall; and many others were there of the best of +the kindreds of Burgstead who had been bidden.</p> +<p>Face-of-god sat between his father and Stone-face; and he +looked up and down the tables and the hall and saw not the Bride, +and his heart misgave him because she was not there, and he +wondered what had befallen and if she were sick of sorrow.</p> +<p>But Iron-face beheld him how he gazed about, and he laughed; +for he was exceeding merry that night and fared as a young +man. <a name="page70"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +70</span>Then he said to his son: ‘Whom seekest thou, son? +is there someone lacking?’</p> +<p>Face-of-god reddened as one who lies unused to it, and +said:</p> +<p>‘Yea, kinsman, so it is that I was seeking the Bride my +kinswoman.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Iron-face, ‘call her not +kinswoman: therein is ill-luck, lest it seem that thou art to wed +one too nigh thine own blood. Call her the Bride only: to +thee and to me the name is good. Well, son, desirest thou +sorely to see her?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, yea, surely,’ said Face-of-god; but his eyes +went all about the hall still, as though his mind strayed from +the place and that home of his.</p> +<p>Said Iron-face: ‘Have patience, son, thou shalt see her +anon, and that in such guise as shall please thee.’</p> +<p>Therewithal came the maidens with the ewers of wine, and they +filled all horns and beakers, and then stood by the endlong +tables on either side laughing and talking with the carles and +the older women; and the hall was a fair sight to see, for the +many candles burned bright and the fire on the hearth flared up, +and those maids were clad in fair raiment, and there was none of +them but was comely, and some were fair, and some very fair: the +walls also were hung with goodly pictured cloths, and the image +of the God of the Face looked down smiling terribly from the +gable-end above the high-seat.</p> +<p>Thus as they sat they heard the sound of a horn winded close +outside the hall door, and the door was smitten on. Then +rose Iron-face smiling merrily, and cried out:</p> +<p>‘Enter ye, whether ye be friends or foes: for if ye be +foemen, yet shall ye keep the holy peace of Yule, unless ye be +the foes of all kindreds and nations, and then shall we slay +you.’</p> +<p>Thereat some who knew what was toward laughed; but Gold-mane, +who had been away from Burgstead some days past, marvelled and +knit his brows, and let his right hand fall on his +sword-hilt. For this folk, who were of merry ways, were +wont <a name="page71"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 71</span>to +deal diversely with the Yule-tide customs in the manner of shows; +and he knew not that this was one of them.</p> +<p>Now was the Outer door thrown open, and there entered seven +men, whereof two were all-armed in bright war-gear, and two bore +slug-horns, and two bore up somewhat on a dish covered over with +a piece of rich cloth, and the seventh stood before them all +wrapped up in a dark fur mantle.</p> +<p>Thus they stood a moment; and when he saw their number, back +to Gold-mane’s heart came the thought of those folk on the +Mountain: for indeed he was somewhat out of himself for doubt and +longing, else would he have deemed that all this was but a +Yule-tide play.</p> +<p>Now the men with the slug-horns set them to their mouths and +blew a long blast; while the first of the new-comers set hand to +the clasps of the fur cloak and let it fall to the ground, and +lo! a woman exceeding beauteous, clad in glistering raiment of +gold and fine web; her hair wreathed with bay, and in her hand a +naked sword with goodly-wrought golden hilt and polished +blue-gleaming blade.</p> +<p>Face-of-god started up in his sear, and stared like a man +new-wakened from a strange dream: because for one moment he +deemed verily that it was the Woman of the Mountain arrayed as he +had last seen her, and he cried aloud ‘The Friend, the +Friend!’</p> +<p>His father brake out into loud laughter thereat, and clapped +his son on the shoulder and said: ‘Yea, yea, lad, thou +mayst well say the Friend; for this is thine old playmate whom +thou hast been looking round the hall for, arrayed this eve in +such fashion as is meet for her goodliness and her +worthiness. Yea, this is the Friend indeed!’</p> +<p>Then waxed Face-of-god as red as blood for shame, and he sat +him down in his place again: for now he wotted what was toward, +and saw that this fair woman was the Bride.</p> +<p>But Stone-face from the other side looked keenly on him.</p> +<p><a name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 72</span>Then +blew the horns again, and the Bride stepped daintily up the hall, +and the sweet odour of her raiment went from her about the +fire-warmed dwelling, and her beauty moved all hearts with +love. So stood she at the high-table; and those two who +bore the burden set it down thereon and drew off the covering, +and lo! there was the Holy Boar of Yule on which men were wont to +make oath of deeds that they would do in the coming year, +according to the custom of their forefathers. Then the +Bride laid the goodly sword beside the dish, and then went round +the table and sat down betwixt Face-of-god and Stone-face, and +turned kindly to Gold-mane, and was glad; for now was his fair +face as its wont was to be. He in turn smiled upon her, for +she was fair and kind and his fellow for many a day.</p> +<p>Now the men-at-arms stood each side the Boar, and out from +them on each side stood the two hornsmen: then these blew up +again, whereon the Alderman stood up and cried:</p> +<p>‘Ye sons of the brave who have any deed that ye may be +desirous of doing, come up, come lay your hand on the sword, and +the point of the sword to the Holy Beast, and swear the oath that +lieth on your hearts.’</p> +<p>Therewith he sat down, and there strode a man up the hall, +strong-built and sturdy, but short of stature; black-haired, +red-bearded, and ruddy-faced: and he stood on the daïs, and +took up the sword and laid its point on the Boar, and said:</p> +<p>‘I am Bristler, son of Brightling, a man of the +Shepherds. Here by the Holy Boar I swear to follow up the +ransackers of Penny-thumb and the slayers of Rusty. And I +take this feud upon me, although they be no good men, because I +am of the kin and it falleth to me, since others forbear; and +when the Court was hallowed hereon I was away out of the Dale and +the Downs. So help me the Warrior, and the God of the +Earth.’</p> +<p>Then the Alderman nodded his head to him kindly, and reached +him out a cup of wine, and as he drank there went up a rumour of +praise from the hall; and men said that his oath was <a +name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>manly and +that he was like to keep it; for he was a good man-at-arms and a +stout heart.</p> +<p>Then came up three men of the Shepherds and two of the Dale +and swore to help Bristler in his feud, and men thought it well +sworn.</p> +<p>After that came a braggart, a man very gay of his raiment, and +swore with many words that if he lived the year through he would +be a captain over the men of the Plain, and would come back again +with many gifts for his friends in the Dale. This men +deemed foolishly sworn, for they knew the man; so they jeered at +him and laughed as he went back to his place ashamed.</p> +<p>Then swore three others oaths not hard to be kept, and men +laughed and were merry.</p> +<p>At last uprose the Alderman, and said: ‘Kinsmen, and +good fellows, good days and peaceable are in the Dale as now; and +of such days little is the story, and little it availeth to swear +a deed of derring-do: yet three things I swear by this Beast; and +first to gainsay no man’s asking if I may perform it; and +next to set right above law and mercy above custom; and lastly, +if the days change and war cometh to us or we go to meet it, I +will be no backwarder in the onset than three fathoms behind the +foremost. So help me the Warrior, and the God of the Face +and the Holy Earth!’</p> +<p><a name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +74</span>Therewith he sat down, and all men shouted for joy of +him, and said that it was most like that he would keep his +oath.</p> +<p>Last of all uprose Face-of-god and took up the sword and +looked at it; and so bright was the blade that he saw in it the +image of the golden braveries which the Bride bore, and even some +broken image of her face. Then he handled the hilt and laid +the point on the Boar, and cried:</p> +<p>‘Hereby I swear to wed the fairest woman of the Earth +before the year is worn to an end; and that whether the Dalesmen +gainsay me or the men beyond the Dale. So help me the +Warrior, and the God of the Face and the Holy Earth!’</p> +<p>Therewith he sat down; and once more men shouted for the love +of him and of the Bride, and they said he had sworn well and like +a chieftain.</p> +<p>But the Bride noted him that neither were his eyes nor his +voice like to their wont as he swore, for she knew him well; and +thereat was she ill at ease, for now whatever was new in him was +to her a threat of evil to come.</p> +<p>Stone-face also noted him, and he knew the young man better +than all others save the Bride, and he saw withal that she was +ill-pleased, and he said to himself: ‘I will speak to my +fosterling to-morrow if I may find him alone.’</p> +<p>So came the swearing to an end, and they fell to on their meat +and feasted on the Boar of Atonement after they had duly given +the Gods their due share, and the wine went about the hall and +men were merry till they drank the parting cup and fared to rest +in the shut-beds, and whereso else they might in the Hall and the +House, for there were many men there.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII. STONE-FACE TELLETH CONCERNING THE +WOOD-WIGHTS.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Early</span> on the morrow Gold-mane arose +and clad himself and went out-a-doors and over the trodden snow +on to the bridge over the Weltering Water, and there betook +himself into one of the coins of safety built over the up-stream +piles; there he leaned against the wall and turned his face to +the Thorp, and fell to pondering on his case. And first he +thought about his oath, and how that he had sworn to wed the +Mountain Woman, although his kindred and her kindred should +gainsay him, yea and herself also. Great seemed that oath +to him, yet at that moment he wished he had made it greater, and +made all the kindred, yea and the Bride herself, sure of the +meaning of the words of it: and he deemed himself a dastard that +he had not done so. Then he <a name="page75"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 75</span>looked round him and beheld the +winter, and he fell into mere longing that the spring were come +and the token from the Mountain. Things seemed too hard for +him to deal with, and he between a mighty folk and two wayward +women; and he went nigh to wish that he had taken his +father’s offer and gone down to the Cities; and even had he +met his bane: well were that! And, as young folk will, he +set to work making a picture of his deeds there, had he been +there. He showed himself the stricken fight in the plain, +and the press, and the struggle, and the breaking of the serried +band, and himself amidst the ring of foemen doing most valiantly, +and falling there at last, his shield o’er-heavy with the +weight of foemen’s spears for a man to uphold it. +Then the victory of his folk and the lamentation and praise over +the slain man of the Mountain Dales, and the burial of the +valiant warrior, the praising weeping folk meeting him at the +City-gate, laid stark and cold in his arms on the gold-hung +garlanded bier.</p> +<p>There ended his dream, and he laughed aloud and said: ‘I +am a fool! All this were good and sweet if I should see it +myself; and forsooth that is how I am thinking of it, as if I +still alive should see myself dead and famous!’</p> +<p>Then he turned a little and looked at the houses of the Thorp +lying dark about the snowy ways under the starlit heavens of the +winter morning: dark they were indeed and grey, save where here +and there the half-burned Yule-fire reddened the windows of a +hall, or where, as in one place, the candle of some early waker +shone white in a chamber window. There was scarce a man +astir, he deemed, and no sound reached him save the crowing of +the cocks muffled by their houses, and a faint sound of beasts in +the byres.</p> +<p>Thus he stood a while, his thoughts wandering now, till +presently he heard footsteps coming his way down the street and +turned toward them, and lo it was the old man Stone-face. +He had seen Gold-mane go out, and had risen and followed him that +he might talk with him apart. Gold-mane greeted him kindly, +<a name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 76</span>though, +sooth to say, he was but half content to see him; since he +doubted, what was verily the case, that his foster-father would +give him many words, counselling him to refrain from going to the +wood, and this was loathsome to him; but he spake and said:</p> +<p>‘Meseems, father, that the eastern sky is brightening +toward dawn.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ quoth Stone-face.</p> +<p>‘It will be light in an hour,’ said +Face-of-god.</p> +<p>‘Even so,’ said Stone-face.</p> +<p>‘And a fair day for the morrow of Yule,’ said the +swain.</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Stone-face, ‘and what wilt thou +do with the fair day? Wilt thou to the wood?’</p> +<p>‘Maybe, father,’ said Gold-mane; ‘Hall-face +and some of the swains are talking of elks up the fells which may +be trapped in the drifts, and if they go a-hunting them, I may go +in their company.’</p> +<p>‘Ah, son,’ quoth Stone-face, ‘thou wilt look +to see other kind of beasts than elks. Things may ye fall +in with there who may not be impounded in the snow like to elks, +but can go light-foot on the top of the soft drift from one place +to another.’</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘Father, fear me not; I shall either +refrain me from the wood, or if I go, I shall go to hunt the +wood-deer with other hunters. But since thou hast come to +me, tell me more about the wood, for thy tales thereof are +fair.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Stone-face, ‘fair tales of foul +things, as oft it befalleth in the world. Hearken now! if +thou deemest that what thou seekest shall come readier to thine +hand because of the winter and the snow, thou errest. For +the wights that waylay the bodies and souls of the mighty in the +wild-wood heed such matters nothing; yea and at Yule-tide are +they most abroad, and most armed for the fray. Even such an +one have I seen time agone, when the snow was deep and the wind +was rough; and it was in the likeness of a woman clad in such +raiment as the Bride bore last night, and she trod the snow +light-foot in thin raiment where it would <a +name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 77</span>scarce bear +the skids of a deft snow-runner. Even so she stood before +me; the icy wind blew her raiment round about her, and drifted +the hair from her garlanded head toward me, and she as fair and +fresh as in the midsummer days. Up the fell she fared, +sweetest of all things to look on, and beckoned on me to follow; +on me, the Warrior, the Stout-heart; and I followed, and between +us grief was born; but I it was that fostered that child and not +she. Always when she would be, was she merry and lovely; +and even so is she now, for she is of those that be +long-lived. And I wot that thou hast seen even such an +one!’</p> +<p>‘Tell me more of thy tales, foster-father,’ said +Gold-mane, ‘and fear not for me!’</p> +<p>‘Ah, son,’ he said, ‘mayst thou have no such +tales to tell to those that shall be young when thou art +old. Yet hearken! We sat in the hall together and +there was no third; and methought that the birds sang and the +flowers bloomed, and sweet was their savour, though it was +midwinter. A rose-wreath was on her head; grapes were on +the board, and fair unwrinkled summer apples on the day that we +feasted together. When was the feast? sayst thou. +Long ago. What was the hall, thou sayest, wherein ye +feasted? I know not if it were on the earth or under it, or +if we rode the clouds that even. But on the morrow what was +there but the stark wood and the drift of the snow, and the iron +wind howling through the branches, and a lonely man, a wanderer +rising from the ground. A wanderer through the wood and up +the fell, and up the high mountain, and up and up to the edges of +the ice-river and the green caves of the ice-hills. A +wanderer in spring, in summer, autumn and winter, with an empty +heart and a burning never-satisfied desire; who hath seen in the +uncouth places many an evil unmanly shape, many a foul hag and +changing ugly semblance; who hath suffered hunger and thirst and +wounding and fever, and hath seen many things, but hath never +again seen that fair woman, or that lovely feast-hall.</p> +<p>‘All praise and honour to the House of the Face, and the +<a name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 78</span>bounteous +valiant men thereof! and the like praise and honour to the fair +women whom they wed of the valiant and goodly House of the +Steer!’</p> +<p>‘Even so say I,’ quoth Gold-mane calmly; +‘but now wend we aback to the House, for it is morning +indeed, and folk will be stirring there.’</p> +<p>So they turned from the bridge together; and Stone-face was +kind and fatherly, and was telling his foster-son many wise +things concerning the life of a chieftain, and the giving-out of +dooms and the gathering for battle; to all which talk Face-of-god +seemed to hearken gladly, but indeed hearkened not at all; for +verily his eyes were beholding that snowy waste, and the fair +woman upon it; even such an one as Stone-face had told of.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII. THEY FARE TO THE HUNTING OF THE ELK.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> they came into the Hall, the +hearth-fire had been quickened, and the sleepers on the floor had +been wakened, and all folk were astir. So the old man sat +down by the hearth while Gold-mane busied himself in fetching +wood and water, and in sweeping out the Hall, and other such +works of the early morning. In a little while Hall-face and +the other young men and warriors were afoot duly clad, and the +Alderman came from his chamber and greeted all men kindly. +Soon meat was set upon the boards, and men broke their fast; and +day dawned while they were about it, and ere it was all done the +sun rose clear and golden, so that all men knew that the day +would be fair, for the frost seemed hard and enduring.</p> +<p>Then the eager young men and the hunters, and those who knew +the mountain best drew together about the hearth, and fell to +talking of the hunting of the elk; and there were three there who +knew both the woods and also the fells right up to the ice-rivers +<a name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 79</span>better +than any other; and these said that they who were fain of the +hunting of the elk would have no likelier time than that day for +a year to come. Short was the rede betwixt them, for they +said they would go to the work at once and make the most of the +short winter daylight. So they went each to his place, and +some outside that House to their fathers’ houses to fetch +each man his gear. Face-of-god for his part went to his +shut-bed, and stood by his chest, and opened it, and drew out of +it a fine hauberk of ring-mail which his father had made for him: +for though Face-of-god was a deft wright, he was not by a long +way so deft as his father, who was the deftest of all men of that +time and country; so that the alien merchants would give him what +he would for his hauberks and helms, whenso he would chaffer with +them, which was but seldom. So Face-of-god did on this +hauberk over his kirtle, and over it he cast his foul-weather +weed, so that none might see it: he girt a strong war-sword to +his side, cast his quiver over his shoulder, and took his bow in +his hand, although he had little lust to shoot elks that day, +even as Stone-face had said; therewithal he took his skids, and +went forth of the hall to the gate of the Burg; whereto gathered +the whole company of twenty-three, and Gold-mane the +twenty-fourth. And each man there had his skids and his bow +and quiver, and whatso other weapon, as short-sword, or +wood-knife, or axe, seemed good to him.</p> +<p>So they went out-a-gates, and clomb the stairway in the cliff +which led to the ancient watch-tower: for it was on the lower +slopes of the fells which lay near to the Weltering Water that +they looked to find the elks, and this was the nighest road +thereto. When they had gotten to the top they lost no time, +but went their ways nearly due east, making way easily where +there were but scattered trees close to the lip of the sheer +cliffs.</p> +<p>They went merrily on their skids over the close-lying snow, +and were soon up on the great shoulders of the fells that went up +from the bank of the Weltering Water: at noon they came into <a +name="page80"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 80</span>a little dale +wherein were a few trees, and there they abided to eat their +meat, and were very merry, making for themselves tables and +benches of the drifted snow, and piling it up to windward as a +defence against the wind, which had now arisen, little but bitter +from the south-east; so that some, and they the wisest, began to +look for foul weather: wherefore they tarried the shorter while +in the said dale or hollow.</p> +<p>But they were scarcely on their way again before the aforesaid +south-east wind began to grow bigger, and at last blew a gale, +and brought up with it a drift of fine snow, through which they +yet made their way, but slowly, till the drift grew so thick that +they could not see each other five paces apart.</p> +<p>Then perforce they made stay, and gathered together under a +bent which by good luck they happened upon, where they were +sheltered from the worst of the drift. There they abode, +till in less than an hour’s space the drift abated and the +wind fell, and in a little while after it was quite clear, with +the sun shining brightly and the young waxing moon white and high +up in the heavens; and the frost was harder than ever.</p> +<p>This seemed good to them; but now that they could see each +other’s faces they fell to telling over their company, and +there was none missing save Face-of-god. They were somewhat +dismayed thereat, but knew not what to do, and they deemed he +might not be far off, either a little behind or a little ahead; +and Hall-face said:</p> +<p>‘There is no need to make this to-do about my brother; +he can take good care of himself; neither does a warrior of the +Face die because of a little cold and frost and snow-drift. +Withal Gold-mane is a wilful man, and of late days hath been +wilful beyond his wont; let us now find the elks.’</p> +<p>So they went on their ways hoping to fall in with him +again. No long story need be made of their hunting, for not +very far from where they had taken shelter they came upon the +elks, many of them, impounded in the drifts, pretty much where +the deft <a name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +81</span>hunters looked to find them. There then was battle +between the elks and the men, till the beasts were all slain and +only one man hurt: then they made them sleighs from wood which +they found in the hollows thereby, and they laid the carcasses +thereon, and so turned their faces homeward, dragging their prey +with them. But they met not Face-of-god either there or on +the way home; and Hall-face said: ‘Maybe Gold-mane will lie +on the fell to-night; and I would I were with him; for adventures +oft befall such folk when they abide in the wilds.’</p> +<p>Now it was late at night by then they reached Burgstead, so +laden as they were with the dead beasts; but they heeded the +night little, for the moon was well-nigh as bright as day for +them. But when they came to the gate of the Thorp, there +were assembled the goodmen and swains to meet them with torches +and wine in their honour. There also was Gold-mane come +back before them, yea for these two hours; and he stood clad in +his holiday raiment and smiled on them.</p> +<p>Then was there some jeering at him that he was come back +empty-handed from the hunting, and that he was not able to abide +the wind and the drift; but he laughed thereat, for all this was +but game and play, since men knew him for a keen hunter and a +stout woodsman; and they had deemed it a heavy loss of him if he +had been cast away, as some feared he had been: and his brother +Hall-face embraced him and kissed him, and said to him: +‘Now the next time that thou farest to the wood will I be +with thee foot to foot, and never leave thee, and then meseemeth +I shall wot of the tale that hath befallen thee, and belike it +shall be no sorry one.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god laughed and answered but little, and they all +betook them to the House of the Face and held high feast therein, +for as late as the night was, in honour of this Hunting of the +Elk.</p> +<p>No man cared to question Face-of-god closely as to how or +where he had strayed from the hunt; for he had told his own tale +at once as soon as he came home, to wit, that his right-foot +skid-strap had broken, and even while he stopped to mend it came +on <a name="page82"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 82</span>that +drift and weather; and that he could not move from that place +without losing his way, and that when it had cleared he knew not +whither they had gone because the snow had covered their +slot. So he deemed it not unlike that they had gone back, +and that he might come up with one or two on the way, and that in +any case he wotted well that they could look after themselves; so +he turned back, not going very swiftly. All this seemed +like enough, and a little matter except to jest about, so no man +made any question concerning it: only old Stone-face said to +himself:</p> +<p>‘Now were I fain to have a true tale out of him, but it +is little likely that anything shall come of my much questioning; +and it is ill forcing a young man to tell lies.’</p> +<p>So he held his peace, and the feast went on merrily and +blithely.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV. CONCERNING FACE-OF-GOD AND THE +MOUNTAIN.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> it must be told of Gold-mane +that what had befallen him was in this wise. His skid-strap +brake in good sooth, and he stayed to mend it; but when he had +done what was needful, he looked up and saw no man nigh, what for +the drift, and that they had gone on somewhat; so he rose to his +feet, and without more delay, instead of keeping on toward the +elk-ground and the way his face had been set, he turned himself +north-and-by-east, and went his ways swiftly towards that +aírt, because he deemed that it might lead him to the +Mountain-hall where he had guested. He abode not for the +storm to clear, but swept off through the thick of it; and indeed +the wind was somewhat at his back, so that he went the +swiftlier. But when the drift was gotten to its very worst, +he sheltered himself for a little in a hollow behind a thorn-bush +he stumbled upon. As soon as it began to abate he went on +again, and at last when it was quite clear, and the sun shone +out, he found himself on a long slope of the fells <a +name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 83</span>covered deep +with smooth white snow, and at the higher end a great crag rising +bare fifty feet above the snow, and more rocks, but none so +great, and broken ground as he judged (the snow being deep) about +it on the hither side; and on the further, three great pine-trees +all bent down and mingled together by their load of snow.</p> +<p>Thitherward he made, as a man might, seeing nothing else to +note before him; but he had not made many strides when forth from +behind the crag by the pine-trees came a man; and at first +Face-of-god thought it might be one of his hunting-fellows gone +astray, and he hailed him in a loud voice, but as he looked he +saw the sun flash back from a bright helm on the +new-comer’s head; albeit he kept on his way till there was +but a space of two hundred yards between them; when lo! the +helm-bearer notched a shaft to his bent bow and loosed at +Face-of-god, and the arrow came whistling and passed six inches +by his right ear. Then Face-of-god stopped perplexed with +his case; for he was on the deep snow in his skids, with his bow +unbent, and he knew not how to bend it speedily. He was +loth to turn his back and flee, and indeed he scarce deemed that +it would help him. Meanwhile of his tarrying the archer +loosed again at him, and this time the shaft flew close to his +left ear. Then Face-of-god thought to cast himself down +into the snow, but he was ashamed; till there came a third shaft +which flew over his head amidmost and close to it. +‘Good shooting on the Mountain!’ muttered he; +‘the next shaft will be amidst my breast, and who knows +whether the Alderman’s handiwork will keep it +out.’</p> +<p>So he cried aloud: ‘Thou shootest well, brother; but art +thou a foe? If thou art, I have a sword by my side, and so +hast thou; come hither to me, and let us fight it out friendly if +we must needs fight.’</p> +<p>A laugh came down the wind to him clear but somewhat shrill, +and the archer came swiftly towards him on his skids with no +weapon in his hand save his bow; so that Face-of-god did not draw +his sword, but stood wondering.</p> +<p><a name="page84"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 84</span>As they +drew nearer he beheld the face of the new-comer, and deemed that +he had seen it before; and soon, for all that it was hooded close +by the ill-weather raiment, he perceived it to be the face of +Bow-may, ruddy and smiling.</p> +<p>She laughed out loud again, as she stopped herself within +three feet of him, and said:</p> +<p>‘Yea, friend Yellow-hair, we heard of the elks and +looked to see thee hereabouts, and I knew thee at once when I +came out from behind the crag and saw thee stand +bewildered.’</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘Hail to thee, Bow-may! and glad am I to +see thee. But thou liest in saying that thou knewest me; +else why didst thou shoot those three shafts at me? Surely +thou art not so quick as that with all thy friends: these be +sharp greetings of you Mountain-folk.’</p> +<p>‘Thou lad with the sweet mouth,’ she said, +‘I like to see thee and hear thee talk, but now must I +hasten thy departure; so stand we here no longer. Let us +get down into the wood where we can do off our skids and sit +down, and then will I tell thee the tidings. Come +on!’</p> +<p>And she caught his hand in hers, and they went speedily down +the slopes toward the great oak-wood, the wind whistling past +their ears.</p> +<p>‘Whither are we going?’ said he.</p> +<p>Said she: ‘I am to show thee the way back home, which +thou wilt not know surely amidst this snow. Come, no words! +thou shalt not have my tale from me till we are in the wood: so +the sooner we are there the sooner shalt thou be +pleased.’</p> +<p>So Face-of-god held his peace, and they went on swiftly side +by side. But it was not Bow-may’s wont to be silent +for long, so presently she said:</p> +<p>‘Thou art good so do as I bid thee; but see thou, sweet +playmate, for all thou art a chieftain’s son, thou wert but +feather-brained to ask me why I shot at thee. I shoot at +thee! that were a fine tale to tell her this even! Or dost +thou think that I could <a name="page85"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 85</span>shoot at a big man on the snow at two +hundred paces and miss him three times? Unless I aimed to +miss.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, Bow-may,’ said he, ‘art thou so deft a +Bow-may? Thou shalt be in my company whenso I fare to +battle.’</p> +<p>‘Indeed,’ she said, ‘therein thou sayest but +the bare truth: nowhere else shall I be, and thou shalt find my +bow no worse than a good shield.’</p> +<p>He laughed somewhat lightly; but she looked on him soberly and +said: ‘Laugh in that fashion on the day of battle, and we +shall be well content with thee!’</p> +<p>So on they sped very swiftly, for their way was mostly down +hill, so that they were soon amongst the outskirting trees of the +wood, and presently after reached the edge of the thicket, beyond +which the ground was but thinly covered with snow.</p> +<p>There they took off their skids, and went into the thick wood +and sat down under a hornbeam tree; and ere Gold-mane could open +his mouth to speak Bow-may began and said:</p> +<p>‘Well it was that I fell in with thee, Dalesman, else +had there been murders of men to tell of; but ever she ordereth +all things wisely, though unwisely hast thou done to seek to +her. Hearken! dost thou think that thou hast done well that +thou hast me here with my tale? Well, hadst thou busied +thyself with the slaying of elks, or with sitting quietly at +home, yet shouldest thou have heard my tale, and thou shouldest +have seen me in Burgstead in a day or two to tell thee concerning +the flitting of the token. And ill it is that I have missed +it, for fain had I been to behold the House of the Face, and to +have seen thee sitting there in thy dignity amidst the kindred of +chieftains.’</p> +<p>And she sighed therewith. But he said: ‘Hold up +thine heart, Bow-may! On the word of a true man that shall +befall thee one day. But come, playmate, give me thy +tale!’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘I must now tell thee in +the wild-wood what else I had told thee in the Hall. +Hearken closely, for this is the message:</p> +<p><a name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +86</span>‘<i>Seek not to me again till thou hast the +token</i>; <i>else assuredly wilt thou be slain</i>, <i>and I +shall be sorry for many a day</i>. <i>Thereof as now I may +not tell thee more</i>. <i>Now as to the token</i>: <i>When +March is worn two weeks fail not to go to and fro on the place of +the Maiden Ward for an hour before sunrise every day till thou +hear tidings</i>.’</p> +<p>‘Now,’ quoth Bow-may, ‘hast thou hearkened +and understood?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said he.</p> +<p>She said: ‘Then tell me the words of my message +concerning the token.’ And he did so word for +word. Then she said:</p> +<p>‘It is well, there is no more to say. Now must I +lead thee till thou knowest the wood; and then mayst thou get on +to the smooth snow again, and so home merrily. Yet, thou +grey-eyed fellow, I will have my pay of thee before I do that +last work.’</p> +<p>Therewith she turned about to him and took his head between +her hands, and kissed him well favouredly both cheeks and mouth; +and she laughed, albeit the tears stood in her eyes as she said: +‘Now smelleth the wood sweeter, and summer will come back +again. And even thus will I do once more when we stand side +by side in battle array.’</p> +<p>He smiled kindly on her and nodded as they both rose up from +the earth: she had taken off her foul-weather gloves while they +spake, and he kissed her hand, which was shapely of fashion +albeit somewhat brown, and hard of palm, and he said in friendly +wise:</p> +<p>‘Thou art a merry faring-fellow, Bow-may, and belike +shalt be withal a true fighting-fellow. Come now, thou +shalt be my sister and I thy brother, in despite of those three +shafts across the snow.’</p> +<p>He laughed therewith; she laughed not, but seemed glad, and +said soberly:</p> +<p>‘Yea, I may well be thy sister; for belike I also am of +the people of the Gods, who have come into these Dales by many +far ways. I am of the House of the Ragged Sword of the +Kindred of the Wolf. Come, brother, let us toward +Wildlake’s Way.’</p> +<p>Therewith she went before him and led through the thicket <a +name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>as by an +assured and wonted path, and he followed hard at heel; but his +thought went from her for a while; for those words of brother and +sister that he had spoken called to his mind the Bride, and their +kindness of little children, and the days when they seemed to +have nought to do but to make the sun brighter, and the flowers +fairer, and the grass greener, and the birds happier each for the +other; and a hard and evil thing it seemed to him that now he +should be making all these things nought and dreary to her, now +when he had become a man and deeds lay before him. Yet +again was he solaced by what Bow-may had said concerning battle +to come; for he deemed that she must have had this from the +Friend’s foreseeing; and he longed sore for deeds to do, +wherein all these things might be cleared up and washen clean as +it were.</p> +<p>So passed they through the wood a long way, and it was getting +dark therein, and Gold-mane said:</p> +<p>‘Hold now, Bow-may, for I am at home here.’</p> +<p>She looked around and said: ‘Yea, so it is: I was +thinking of many things. Farewell and live merrily till +March comes and the token!’</p> +<p>Therewith she turned and went her ways and was soon out of +sight, and he went lightly through the wood, and then on skids +over the hard snow along the Dale’s edge till he was come +to the watch-tower, when the moon was bright in heaven.</p> +<p>Thus was he at Burgstead and the House of the Face betimes, +and before the hunters were gotten back.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV. MURDER AMONGST THE FOLK OF THE +WOODLANDERS.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">So</span> wore away midwinter +tidingless. Stone-face spake no more to Face-of-god about +the wood and its wights, when he saw that the young man had come +back hale and merry, seemed not to crave over-much to go back +thither. As for <a name="page88"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 88</span>the Bride, she was sad, and more than +misdoubted all; but dauntless as she was in matters that try +men’s hardihood, she yet lacked heart to ask of Face-of-god +what had befallen him since the autumn-tide, or where he was with +her. So she put a force upon herself not to look sad or +craving when she was in his company, as full oft she was; for he +rather sought her than shunned her. For when he saw her +thus, he deemed things were changing with her as they had changed +with him, and he bethought him of what he had spoken to Bow-may, +and deemed that even so he might speak with the Bride when the +time came, and that she would not be grieved beyond measure, and +all would be well.</p> +<p>Now came on the thaw, and the snow went, and the grass grew +all up and down the Dale, and all waters were big. And +about this time arose rumours of strange men in the wood, +uncouth, vile, and murderous, and many of the feebler sort were +made timorous thereby.</p> +<p>But a little before March was born came new tidings from the +Woodlanders; to wit: There came on a time to the house of a +woodland carle, a worthy goodman well renowned of all, two +wayfarers in the first watch of the night; and these men said +that they were wending down to the Plain from a far-away dale, +Rose-dale to wit, which all men had heard of, and that they had +strayed from the way and were exceeding weary, and they craved a +meal’s meat and lodging for the night.</p> +<p>This the goodman might nowise gainsay, and he saw no harm in +it, wherefore he bade them abide and be merry.</p> +<p>These men, said they who told the tidings, were outlanders, +and no man had seen any like them before: they were armed, and +bore short bows made of horn, and round targets, and +coats-of-fence done over with horn scales; they had crooked +swords girt to their sides, and axes of steel forged all in one +piece, right good weapons. They were clad in scarlet and +had much silver on their raiment and about their weapons, and +great rings of the same on their arms; and all this silver seemed +brand-new.</p> +<p><a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 89</span>Now the +Woodland Carle gave them of such things as he had, and was kind +and blithe to them: there were in his house besides himself five +men of his sons and kindred, and his wife and three daughters and +two other maids. So they feasted after the +Woodlanders’ fashion, and went to bed a little before +midnight. Two hours after, the carle awoke and heard a +little stir, and he looked and saw the guests on their feet +amidst the hall clad in all their war-gear; and they had betwixt +them his two youngest daughters, maids of fifteen and twelve +winters, and had bound their hands and done clouts over their +mouths, so that they might not cry out; and they were just at +point to carry them off. Thereat the goodman, naked as he +was, caught up his sword and made at these murder-carles, and or +ever they were ware of him he had hewn down one and turned to +face the other, who smote at him with his steel axe and gave him +a great wound on the shoulder, and therewithal fled out at the +open door and forth into the wood.</p> +<p>The Woodlander made no stay to raise the cry (there was no +need, for the hall was astir now from end to end, and men getting +to their weapons), but ran out after the felon even as he was; +and, in spite of his grievous hurt, overran him no long way from +the house before he had gotten into the thicket. But the +man was nimble and strong, and the goodman unsteady from his +wound, and by then the others of the household came up with the +hue and cry he had gotten two more sore wounds and was just +making an end of throttling the felon with his bare hands. +So he fell into their arms fainting from weakness, and for all +they could do he died in two hours’ time from that +axe-wound in his shoulder, and another on the side of the head, +and a knife-thrust in his side; and he was a man of sixty +winters.</p> +<p>But the stranger he had slain outright; and the one whom he +had smitten in the hall died before the dawn, thrusting all help +aside, and making no sound of speech.</p> +<p>When these tidings came to Burgstead they seemed great to men, +and to Gold-mane more than all. So he and many others <a +name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 90</span>took their +weapons and fared up to Wildlake’s Way, and so came to the +Woodland Carles. But the Woodlanders had borne out the +carcasses of those felons and laid them on the green before +Wood-grey’s door (for that was the name of the dead +goodman), and they were saying that they would not bury such +accursed folk, but would bear them a little way so that they +should not be vexed with the stink of them, and cast them into +the thicket for the wolf and the wild-cat and the stoat to deal +with; and they should lie there, weapons and silver and all; and +they deemed it base to strip such wretches, for who would wear +their raiment or bear their weapons after them.</p> +<p>There was a great ring of folk round about them when they of +Burgstead drew near, and they shouted for joy to see their +neighbours, and made way before them. Then the Dalesmen +cursed these murderers who had slain so good a man, and they all +praised his manliness, whereas he ran out into the night naked +and wounded after his foe, and had fallen like his folk of old +time.</p> +<p>It was a bright spring afternoon in that clearing of the Wood, +and they looked at the two dead men closely; and Gold-mane, who +had been somewhat silent and moody till then, became merry and +wordy; for he beheld the men and saw that they were utterly +strange to him: they were short of stature, crooked-legged, +long-armed, very strong for their size: with small blue eyes, +snubbed-nosed, wide-mouthed, thin-lipped, very swarthy of skin, +exceeding foul of favour. He and all others wondered who +they were, and whence they came, for never had they seen their +like; and the Woodlanders, who often guested outlanders strayed +from the way of divers kindreds and nations, said also that none +such had they ever seen. But Stone-face, who stood by +Gold-mane, shook his head and quoth he:</p> +<p>‘The Wild-wood holdeth many marvels, and these be of +them: the spawn of evil wights quickeneth therein, and at other +whiles it melteth away again like the snow; so may it be with +these carcasses.’</p> +<p><a name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>And +some of the older folk of the Woodlanders who stood by hearkened +what he said, and deemed his words wise, for they remembered +their ancient lore and many a tale of old time.</p> +<p>Thereafter they of Burgstead went into Wood-grey’s hall, +or as many of them as might, for it was but a poor place and not +right great. There they saw the goodman laid on the +daïs in all his war-gear, under the last tie-beam of his +hall, whereon was carved amidst much goodly work of knots and +flowers and twining stems the image of the Wolf of the Waste, his +jaws open and gaping: the wife and daughters of the goodman and +other women of the folk stood about the bier singing some old +song in a low voice, and some sobbing therewithal, for the man +was much beloved: and much people of the Woodlanders was in the +hall, and it was somewhat dusk within.</p> +<p>So the Burgstead men greeted that folk kindly and humbly, and +again they fell to praising the dead man, saying how his deed +should long be remembered in the Dale and wide about; and they +called him a fearless man and of great worth. And the women +hearkened, and ceased their crooning and their sobbing, and stood +up proudly and raised their heads with gleaming eyes; and as the +words of the Burgstead men ended, they lifted up their voices and +sang loudly and clearly, standing together in a row, ten of them, +on the daïs of that poor hall, facing the gable and the +wolf-adorned tie-beam, heeding nought as they sang what was about +or behind them.</p> +<p>And this is some of what they sang:</p> +<p class="poetry">Why sit ye bare in the spinning-room?<br /> +Why weave ye naked at the loom?</p> +<p class="poetry">Bare and white as the moon we be,<br /> +That the Earth and the drifting night may see.</p> +<p class="poetry">Now what is the worst of all your work?<br /> +What curse amidst the web shall lurk?</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +92</span>The worst of the work our hands shall win<br /> +Is wrack and ruin round the kin.</p> +<p class="poetry">Shall the woollen yarn and the flaxen thread<br +/> +Be gear for living men or dead?</p> +<p class="poetry">The woollen yarn and the flaxen thread<br /> +Shall flare ’twixt living men and dead.</p> +<p class="poetry">O what is the ending of your day?<br /> +When shall ye rise and wend away?</p> +<p class="poetry">Our day shall end to-morrow morn,<br /> +When we hear the voice of the battle-horn.</p> +<p class="poetry">Where first shall eyes of men behold<br /> +This weaving of the moonlight cold?</p> +<p class="poetry">There where the alien host abides<br /> +The gathering on the Mountain-sides.</p> +<p class="poetry">How long aloft shall the fair web fly<br /> +When the bows are bent and the spears draw nigh?</p> +<p class="poetry">From eve to morn and morn till eve<br /> +Aloft shall fly the work we weave.</p> +<p class="poetry">What then is this, the web ye win?<br /> +What wood-beast waxeth stark therein?</p> +<p class="poetry">We weave the Wolf and the gift of war<br /> +From the men that were to the men that are.</p> +<p>So sang they: and much were all men moved at their singing, +and there was none but called to mind the old days of the +Fathers, and the years when their banner went wide in the +world.</p> +<p>But the Woodlanders feasted them of Burgstead what they might, +and then went the Dalesmen back to their houses; but on <a +name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>the +morrow’s morrow they fared thither again, and Wood-grey was +laid in mound amidst a great assemblage of the Folk.</p> +<p>Many men said that there was no doubt that those two felons +were of the company of those who had ransacked the steads of +Penny-thumb and Harts-bane; and so at first deemed Bristler the +son of Brightling: but after a while, when he had had time to +think of it, he changed his mind; for he said that such men as +these would have slain first and ransacked afterwards: and some +who loved neither Penny-thumb nor Harts-bane said that they would +not have been at the pains to choose for ransacking the two worst +men about the Dale, whose loss was no loss to any but +themselves.</p> +<p>As for Gold-mane he knew not what to think, except that his +friends of the Mountain had had nought to do with it.</p> +<p>So wore the days awhile.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI. THE BRIDE SPEAKETH WITH FACE-OF-GOD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">February</span> had died into March, and +March was now twelve days old, on a fair and sunny day an hour +before noon; and Face-of-god was in a meadow a scant mile down +the Dale from Burgstead. He had been driving a bull into a +goodman’s byre nearby, and had had to spend toil and +patience both in getting him out of the fields and into the byre; +for the beast was hot with the spring days and the new +grass. So now he was resting himself in happy mood in an +exceeding pleasant place, a little meadow to wit, on one side +whereof was a great orchard or grove of sweet chestnuts, which +went right up to the feet of the Southern Cliffs: across the +meadow ran a clear brook towards the Weltering Water, free from +big stones, in some places dammed up for the flooding of the deep +pasture-meadow, and with the grass growing on its lips down to +the very water. There <a name="page94"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 94</span>was a low bank just outside the +chestnut trees, as if someone had raised a dyke about them when +they were young, which had been trodden low and spreading through +the lapse of years by the faring of many men and beasts. +The primroses bloomed thick upon it now, and here and there along +it was a low blackthorn bush in full blossom; from the mid-meadow +and right down to the lip of the brook was the grass well nigh +hidden by the blossoms of the meadow-saffron, with daffodils +sprinkled about amongst them, and in the trees and bushes the +birds, and chiefly the blackbirds, were singing their +loudest.</p> +<p>There sat Face-of-god on the bank resting after his toil, and +happy was his mood; since in two days’ wearing he should be +pacing the Maiden Ward awaiting the token that was to lead him to +Shadowy Vale; so he sat calling to mind the Friend as he had last +seen her, and striving as it were to set her image standing on +the flowery grass before him, till all the beauty of the meadow +seemed bare and empty to him without her. Then it fell into +his mind that this had been a beloved trysting-place betwixt him +and the Bride, and that often when they were little would they +come to gather chestnuts in the grove, and thereafter sit and +prattle on the old dyke; or in spring when the season was warm +would they go barefoot into the brook, seeking its treasures of +troutlets and flowers and clean-washed agate pebbles. Yea, +and time not long ago had they met here to talk as lovers, and +sat on that very bank in all the kindness of good days without a +blemish, and both he and she had loved the place well for its +wealth of blossoms and deep grass and goodly trees and clear +running stream.</p> +<p>As he thought of all this, and how often there he had praised +to himself her beauty, which he scarce dared praise to her, he +frowned and slowly rose to his feet, and turned toward the +chestnut-grove, as though he would go thence that way; but or +ever he stepped down from the dyke he turned about again, and +even therewith, like the very image and ghost of his thought, lo! +the <a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span>Bride +herself coming up from out the brook and wending toward him, her +wet naked feet gleaming in the sun as they trod down the tender +meadow-saffron and brushed past the tufts of daffodils. He +stood staring at her discomforted, for on that day he had much to +think of that seemed happy to him, and he deemed that she would +now question him, and his mind pondered divers ways of answering +her, and none seemed good to him. She drew near and let her +skirts fall over her feet, and came to him, her gown hem dragging +over the flowers: then she stood straight up before him and +greeted him, but reached not forth her hand to him nor touched +him. Her face was paler that its wont, and her voice +trembled as she spake to him and said:</p> +<p>‘Face-of-god, I would ask thee a gift.’</p> +<p>‘All gifts,’ he said, ‘that thou mayest ask, +and I may give, lie open to thee.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘If I be alive when the time comes this gift +thou mayst well give me.’</p> +<p>‘Sweet kinswoman,’ said he, ‘tell me what it +is that thou wouldest have of me.’ And he was +ill-at-ease as he waited for her answer.</p> +<p>She said: ‘Ah, kinsman, kinsman! Woe on the day +that maketh kinship accursed to me because thou desirest +it!’</p> +<p>He held his peace and was exceeding sorry; and she said:</p> +<p>‘This is the gift that I ask of thee, that in the days +to come when thou art wedded, thou wilt give me the second +man-child whom thou begettest.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘This shalt thou have, and would that I might +give thee much more. Would that we were little children +together other again, as when we played here in other +days.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘I would have a token of thee that thou shalt +show to the God, and swear on it to give me the gift. For +the times change.’</p> +<p>‘What token wilt thou have?’ said he.</p> +<p>She said: ‘When next thou farest to the Wood, thou shalt +bring me back, it maybe a flower from the bank ye sit upon, or <a +name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>a splinter +from the daïs of the hall wherein ye feast, or maybe a ring +or some matter that the strangers are wont to wear. That +shall be the token.’</p> +<p>She spoke slowly, hanging her head adown, but she lifted it +presently and looked into his face and said:</p> +<p>‘Woe’s me, woe’s me, Gold-mane! How +evil is this day, when bewailing me I may not bewail thee +also! For I know that thine heart is glad. All +through the winter have I kept this hidden in my heart, and durst +not speak to thee. But now the spring-tide hath driven me +to it. Let summer come, and who shall say?’</p> +<p>Great was his grief, and his shame kept him silent, and he had +no word to say; and again she said:</p> +<p>‘Tell me, Gold-mane, when goest thou thither?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘I know not surely, may happen in two days, may +happen in ten. Why askest thou?’</p> +<p>‘O friend!’ she said, ‘is it a new thing +that I should ask thee whither thou goest and whence thou comest, +and the times of thy coming and going. Farewell +to-day! Forget not the token. Woe’s me, that I +may not kiss thy fair face!’</p> +<p>She spread her arms abroad and lifted up her face as one who +waileth, but no sound came from her lips; then she turned about +and went away as she had come.</p> +<p>But as for him he stood there after she was gone in all +confusion, as if he were undone: for he felt his manhood lessened +that he should thus and so sorely have hurt a friend, and in a +manner against his will. And yet he was somewhat wroth with +her, that she had come upon him so suddenly, and spoken to him +with such mastery, and in so few words, and he with none to make +answer to her, and that she had so marred his pleasure and his +hope of that fair day. Then he sat him down again on the +flowery bank, and little by little his heart softened, and he +once more called to mind many a time when they had been there +before, and the plays and the games they had had together there +when they were little. And he bethought him of the days +that were long to him then, <a name="page97"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 97</span>and now seemed short to him, and as +if they were all grown together into one story, and that a sweet +one. Then his breast heaved with a sob, and the tears rose +to his eyes and burned and stung him, and he fell a-weeping for +that sweet tale, and wept as he had wept once before on that old +dyke when there had been some child’s quarrel between them, +and she had gone away and left him.</p> +<p>Then after a while he ceased his weeping, and looked about him +lest anyone might be coming, and then he arose and went to and +fro in the chestnut-grove for a good while, and afterwards went +his ways from that meadow, saying to himself: ‘Yet +remaineth to me the morrow of to-morrow, and that is the first of +the days of the watching for the token.’</p> +<p>But all that day he was slow to meet the eyes of men; and in +the hall that eve he was silent and moody; for from time to time +it came over him that some of his manhood had departed from +him.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII. THE TOKEN COMETH FROM THE MOUNTAIN.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> next day wore away tidingless; +and the day after Face-of-god arose betimes; for it was the first +day of his watch, and he was at the Maiden Ward before the time +appointed on a very fair and bright morning, and he went to and +fro on that place, and had no tidings. So he came away +somewhat cast down, and said within himself: ‘Is it but a +lie and a mocking when all is said?’</p> +<p>On the morrow he went thither again, and the morn was wild and +stormy with drift of rain, and low clouds hurrying over the +earth, though for the sunrise they lifted a little in the east, +and the sun came up over the passes, amidst the red and angry +rack of clouds. This morn also gave him no tidings of the +token, and he <a name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +98</span>was wroth and perturbed in spirit: but towards evening +he said:</p> +<p>‘It is well: ten days she gave me, so that she might be +able to send without fail on one of them; she will not fail +me.’</p> +<p>So again on the morrow he was there betimes, and the morn was +windy as on the day before, but the clouds higher and of better +promise for the day. Face-of-god walked to and fro on the +Maiden Ward, and as he turned toward Burgstead for the tenth +time, he heard, as he deemed, a bow-string twang afar off, and +even therewith came a shaft flying heavily like a winged bird, +which smote a great standing stone on the other side of the way, +where of old some chieftain had been buried, and fell to earth at +its foot. He went up to it and handled it, and saw that +there was a piece of thin parchment wrapped about it, which +indeed he was eager to unwrap at once, but forebore; because he +was on the highway, and people were already astir, and even then +passed by him a goodman of the Dale with a man of his going +afield together, and they gave him the sele of the day. So +he went along the highway a little till he came to a place where +was a footbridge over into the meadow. He crossed thereby +and went swiftly till he reached a rising ground grown over with +hazel-trees; there he sat down among the rabbit-holes, the +primrose and wild-garlic blooming about him, and three blackbirds +answering one another from the edges of the coppice. +Straightway when he had looked and seen none coming he broke the +threads that were wound about the scroll and the arrow, and +unrolled the parchment; and there was writing thereon in black +ink of small letters, but very fair, and this is what he read +therein:</p> +<blockquote><p><i>Come thou to the Mountain Hall by the path +which thou knowest of</i>, <i>on the morrow of the day whereon +thou readest this</i>. <i>Rise betimes and come armed</i>, +<i>for there are other men than we in the wood</i>; <i>to whom +thy death should be a gain</i>. <i>When thou art come to +the Hall</i>, <i>thou shalt find no man therein</i>; <i>but a +great hound only</i>, <i>tied to a bench nigh the +daïs</i>. <i>Call him by his name</i>, <i>Sure-foot to +wit</i>, <i>and give him to eat from the meat upon the board</i>, +<i>and give him water </i><a name="page99"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 99</span><i>to drink</i>. <i>If the day +is then far spent</i>, <i>as it is like to be</i>, <i>abide thou +with the hound in the hall through the night</i>, <i>and eat of +what thou shalt find there</i>; <i>but see that the hound fares +not abroad till the morrow’s morn</i>: <i>then lead him out +and bring him to the north-east corner of the Hall</i>, <i>and he +shall lift the slot for thee that leadeth to the Shadowy +Yale</i>. <i>Follow him and all good go with thee</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Now when he had read this, earth seemed fair indeed about him, +and he scarce knew whither to turn or what to do to make the most +of his joy. He presently went back to Burgstead and into +the House of the Face, where all men were astir now, and the day +was clearing. He hid the shaft under his kirtle, for he +would not that any should see it; so he went to his shut-bed and +laid it up in his chest, wherein he kept his chiefest treasures; +but the writing on the scroll he set in his bosom and so hid +it. He went joyfully and proudly, as one who knoweth more +tidings and better than those around him. But Stone-face +beheld him, and said ‘Foster-son, thou art happy. Is +it that the spring-tide is in thy blood, and maketh thee blithe +with all things, or hast thou some new tidings? Nay, I +would not have an answer out of thee; but here is good rede: when +next thou goest into the wood, it were nought so ill for thee to +have a valiant old carle by thy side; one that loveth thee, and +would die for thee if need were; one who might watch when thou +wert seeking. Or else beware! for there are evil things +abroad in the Wood, and moreover the brethren of those two felons +who were slain at Carlstead.’</p> +<p>Then Gold-mane constrained himself to answer the old carle +softly; and he thanked him kindly for his offer, and said that so +it should be before long. So the talk between them fell, +and Stone-face went away somewhat well-pleased.</p> +<p>And now was Face-of-god become wary; and he would not draw +men’s eyes and speech on him; so he went afield with +Hall-face to deal with the lambs and the ewes, and did like other +men. No less wary was he in the hall that even, and neither +spake much nor little; and when his father spake to him +concerning the Bride, <a name="page100"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 100</span>and made game of him as a somewhat +sluggish groom, he did not change countenance, but answered +lightly what came to hand.</p> +<p>On the morrow ere the earliest dawn he was afoot, and he clad +himself and did on his hauberk, his father’s work, which +was fine-wrought and a stout defence, and reached down to his +knees; and over that he did on a goodly green kirtle well +embroidered: he girt his war-sword to his side, and it was the +work of his father’s father, and a very good sword: its +name was Dale-warden. He did a good helm on his head, and +slung a targe at his back, and took two spears in his hand, short +but strong-shafted and well-steeled. Thus arrayed he left +Burgstead before the dawn, and came to Wildlake’s Way and +betook him to the Woodland. He made no stop or stay on the +path, but ate his meat standing by an oak-tree close by the +half-blind track. When he came to the little wood-lawn, +where was the toft of the ancient house, he looked all round +about him, for he deemed that a likely place for those ugly +wood-wights to set on him; but nought befell him, though he +stooped and drank of the woodland rill warily enough. So he +passed on; and there were other places also where he fared +warily, because they seemed like to hold lurking felons; though +forsooth the whole wood might well serve their turn. But no +evil befell him, and at last, when it yet lacked an hour to +sunset, he came to the wood-lawn where Wild-wearer had made his +onset that other eve.</p> +<p>He went straight up to the house, his heart beating, and he +scarce believing but that he should find the Friend abiding him +there: but when he pushed the door it gave way before him at +once, and he entered and found no man therein, and the walls +stripped bare and no shield or weapon hanging on the +panels. But the hound he saw tied to a bench nigh the +daïs, and the bristles on the beast’s neck arose, and +he snarled on Face-of-god, and strained on his leathern +leash. Then Face-of-god went up to him and called him by +his name, Sure-foot, and gave him his hand to lick, and he +brought him water, and fed him with flesh from <a +name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 101</span>the meat on +the board; so the beast became friendly and wagged his tail and +whined and slobbered his hand.</p> +<p>Then he went all about the house, and saw and heard no living +thing therein save the mice in the panels and Sure-foot. So +he came back to the daïs, and sat him down at the board and +ate his fill, and thought concerning his case. And it came +into his mind that the Woman of the Mountain had some deed for +him to do which would try his manliness and exalt his fame; and +his heart rose high and he was glad, and he saw himself sitting +beside her on the daïs of a very fair hall beloved and +honoured of all the folk, and none had aught to say against him +or owed him any grudge. Thus he pleased himself in thinking +of the good days to come, sitting there till the hall grew dusk +and dark and the night-wind moaned about it.</p> +<p>Then after a while he arose and raked together the brands on +the hearth, and made light in the hall and looked to the +door. And he found there were bolts and bars thereto, so he +shot the bolts and drew the bars into their places and made all +as sure as might be. Then he brought Sure-foot down from +the daïs, and tied him up so that he might lie down athwart +the door, and then lay down his hauberk with his naked sword +ready to his hand, and slept long while.</p> +<p>When he awoke it was darker than when he had lain him for the +moon had set; yet he deemed that the day was at point of +breaking. So he fetched water and washed the night off him, +and saw a little glimmer of the dawn. Then he ate somewhat +of the meat on the board, and did on his helm and his other gear, +and unbarred the door, and led Sure-foot without, and brought him +to the north-east corner of the house, and in a little while he +lifted the slot and they departed, the man and the hound, just as +broke dawn from over the mountains.</p> +<p>Sure-foot led right into the heart of the pine-wood, and it +was dark enough therein, with nought but a feeble glimmer for +some while, and long was the way therethrough; but in two +hours’ <a name="page102"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +102</span>space was there something of a break, and they came to +the shore of a dark deep tarn on whose windless and green waters +the daylight shone fully. The hound skirted the water, and +led on unchecked till the trees began to grow smaller and the air +colder for all that the sun was higher; for they had been going +up and up all the way.</p> +<p>So at last after a six hours’ journey they came clean +out of the pine-wood, and before them lay the black wilderness of +the bare mountains, and beyond them, looking quite near now, the +great ice-peaks, the wall of the world. It was but an hour +short of noon by this time, and the high sun shone down on a +barren boggy moss which lay betwixt them and the rocky +waste. Sure-foot made no stay, but threaded the ways that +went betwixt the quagmires, and in another hour led Face-of-god +into a winding valley blinded by great rocks, and everywhere +stony and rough, with a trickle of water running amidst of +it. The hound fared on up the dale to where the water was +bridged by a great fallen stone, and so over it and up a steep +bent on the further side, on to a marvellously rough +mountain-neck, whiles mere black sand cumbered with scattered +rocks and stones, whiles beset with mires grown over with the +cottony mire-grass; here and there a little scanty grass growing; +otherwhere nought but dwarf willow ever dying ever growing, +mingled with moss or red-blossomed sengreen; and all blending +together into mere desolation.</p> +<p>Few living things they saw there; up on the neck a few sheep +were grazing the scanty grass, but there was none to tend them; +yet Face-of-god deemed the sight of them good, for there must be +men anigh who owned them. For the rest, the whimbrel +laughed across the mires; high up in heaven a great eagle was +hanging; once and again a grey fox leapt up before them, and the +heath-fowl whirred up from under Face-of-god’s feet. +A raven who was sitting croaking on a rock in that first dale +stirred uneasily on his perch as he saw them, and when they were +passed flapped his wings and flew after them croaking still.</p> +<p><a name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 103</span>Now +they fared over that neck somewhat east, making but slow way +because the ground was so broken and rocky; and in another +hour’s space Sure-foot led down-hill due east to where the +stony neck sank into another desolate miry heath still falling +toward the east, but whose further side was walled by a rampart +of crags cleft at their tops into marvellous-shapes, coal-black, +ungrassed and unmossed. Thitherward the hound led straight, +and Gold-mane followed wondering: as he drew near them he saw +that they were not very high, the tallest peak scant fifty feet +from the face of the heath.</p> +<p>They made their way through the scattered rocks at the foot of +these crags, till, just where the rock-wall seemed the closest, +the way through the stones turned into a path going through it +skew-wise; and it was now so clear a path that belike it had been +bettered by men’s hands. Down thereby Face-of-god +followed the hound, deeming that he was come to the gates of the +Shadowy Vale, and the path went down steeply and swiftly. +But when he had gone down a while, the rocks on his right hand +sank lower for a space, so that he could look over and see what +lay beneath.</p> +<p>There lay below him a long narrow vale quite plain at the +bottom, walled on the further side as on the hither by sheer +rocks of black stone. The plain was grown over with grass, +but he could see no tree therein: a deep river, dark and green, +ran through the vale, sometimes through its midmost, sometimes +lapping the further rock-wall: and he thought indeed that on many +a day in the year the sun would never shine on that valley.</p> +<p>Thus much he saw, and then the rocks rose again and shut it +from his sight; and at last they drew so close together over head +that he was in a way going through a cave with little daylight +coming from above, and in the end he was in a cave indeed and +mere darkness: but with the last feeble glimmer of light he +thought he saw carved on a smooth space of the living rock at his +left hand the image of a wolf.</p> +<p><a name="page104"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 104</span>This +cave lasted but a little way, and soon the hound and the man were +going once more between sheer black rocks, and the path grew +steeper yet and was cut into steps. At last there was a +sharp turn, and they stood on the top of a long stony scree, down +which Sure-foot bounded eagerly, giving tongue as he went; but +Face-of-god stood still and looked, for now the whole Dale lay +open before him.</p> +<p>That river ran from north to south, and at the south end the +cliffs drew so close to it that looking thence no outgate could +be seen; but at the north end there was as it were a dreary +street of rocks, the river flowing amidmost and leaving little +foothold on either side, somewhat as it was with the pass leading +from the mountains into Burgdale.</p> +<p>Amidmost of the Dale a little toward the north end he saw a +doom-ring of black stones, and hard by it an ancient hall builded +of the same black stone both wall and roof, and thitherward was +Sure-foot now running. Face-of-god looked up and down the +Dale and could see no break in the wall of sheer rock: toward the +southern end he saw a few booths and cots built roughly of stone +and thatched with turf; thereabout he saw a few folk moving +about, the most of whom seemed to be women and children; there +were some sheep and lambs near these cots, and a herd of fifty or +so of somewhat goodly mountain-kine were feeding higher up the +valley. He could look down into the river from where he +stood, and he saw that it ran between rocky banks going straight +down from the face of the meadow, which was rather high above the +water, so that it seemed little likely that the water should rise +over its banks, either in summer or winter; and in summer was it +like to be highest, because the vale was so near to the high +mountains and their snows.</p> +<h2><a name="page105"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +105</span>CHAPTER XVIII. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE +FRIEND IN SHADOWY VALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was now about two hours after +noon, and a broad band of sunlight lay upon the grass of the vale +below Gold-mane’s feet; he went lightly down the scree, and +strode forward over the level grass toward the Doom-ring, his +helm and war-gear glittering bright in the sun. He must +needs go through the Doom-ring to come to the Hall, and as he +stepped out from behind the last of the big upright-stones, he +saw a woman standing on the threshold of the Hall-door, which was +but some score of paces from him, and knew her at once for the +Friend.</p> +<p>She was clad like himself in a green kirtle gaily embroidered +and fitting close to her body, and had no gown or cloak over it; +she had a golden fillet on her head beset with blue mountain +stones, and her hair hung loose behind her.</p> +<p>Her beauty was so exceeding, and so far beyond all memory of +her that his mind had held, that once more fear of her fell upon +Face-of-god, and he stood still with beating heart till she +should speak to him. But she came forward swiftly with both +her hands held out, smiling and happy-faced, and looking very +kindly on him, and she took his hands and said to him:</p> +<p>‘Now welcome, Gold-mane, welcome, Face-of-god! and twice +welcome art thou and threefold. Lo! this is the day that +thou asked for: art thou happy in it?’</p> +<p>He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them timorously, +but said nought; and therewithal Sure-foot came running forth +from the Hall, and fell to bounding round about them, barking +noisily after the manner of dogs who have met their masters +again; and still she held his hands and beheld him kindly. +Then she called the hound to her, and patted him on the neck and +quieted him, and then turned to Face-of-god and laughed happily +and said:</p> +<p>‘I do not bid thee hold thy peace; yet thou sayest +nought. Is well with thee?’</p> +<p><a name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +106</span>‘Yea,’ he said, ‘and more than +well.’</p> +<p>‘Thou seemest to me a goodly warrior,’ she said; +‘hast thou met any foemen yesterday or this +morning?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said he, ‘none hindered me; thou hast +made the ways easy to me.’</p> +<p>She said soberly, ‘Such as I might do, I did. But +we may not wield everything, for our foes are many, and I feared +for thee. But come thou into our house, which is ours, and +far more ours than the booth before the pine-wood.’</p> +<p>She took his hand again and led him toward the door, but +Face-of-god looked up, and above the lintel he saw carved on the +dark stone that image of the Wolf, even as he had seen it carved +on Wood-grey’s tie-beam; and therewith such thoughts came +into his mind that he stopped to look, pressing the +Friend’s hand hard as though bidding her note it. The +stone wherein the image was carved was darker than the other +building stones, and might be called black; the jaws of the +wood-beast were open and gaping, and had been painted with +cinnabar, but wind and weather had worn away the most of the +colour.</p> +<p>Spake the Friend: ‘So it is: thou beholdest the token of +the God and Father of out Fathers, that telleth the tale of so +many days, that the days which now pass by us be to them but as +the drop in the sea of waters. Thou beholdest the sign of +our sorrow, the memory of our wrong; yet is it also the token of +our hope. Maybe it shall lead thee far.’</p> +<p>‘Whither?’ said he. But she answered not a +great while, and he looked at her as she stood a-gazing on the +image, and saw how the tears stole out of her eyes and ran adown +her cheeks. Then again came the thought to him of +Wood-grey’s hall, and the women of the kindred standing +before the Wolf and singing of him; and though there was little +comeliness in them and she was so exceeding beauteous, he could +not but deem that they were akin to her.</p> +<p>But after a while she wiped the tears from her face and turned +<a name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>to him +and said: ‘My friend, the Wolf shall lead thee no-whither +but where I also shall be, whatsoever peril or grief may beset +the road or lurk at the ending thereof. Thou shalt be no +thrall, to labour while I look on.’</p> +<p>His heart swelled within him as she spoke, and he was at point +to beseech her love that moment; but now her face had grown gay +and bright again, and she said while he was gathering words to +speak withal:</p> +<p>‘Come in, Gold-mane, come into our house; for I have +many things to say to thee. And moreover thou art so +hushed, and so fearsome in thy mail, that I think thou yet +deemest me to be a Wight of the Waste, such as Stone-face thy +Fosterer told thee tales of, and forewarned thee. So would +I eat before thee, and sign the meat with the sign of the +Earth-god’s Hammer, to show thee that he is in error +concerning me, and that I am a very woman flesh and fell, as my +kindred were before me.’</p> +<p>He laughed and was exceeding glad, and said: ‘Tell me +now, kind friend, dost thou deem that Stone-face’s tales +are mere mockery of his dreams, and that he is beguiled by empty +semblances or less? Or are there such Wights in the +Waste.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, ‘the man is a true man; and +of these things are there many ancient tales which we may not +doubt. Yet so it is that such wights have I never yet seen, +nor aught to scare me save evil men: belike it is that I have +been over-much busied in dealing with sorrow and ruin to look +after them: or it may be that they feared me and the +wrath-breeding grief of the kindred.’</p> +<p>He looked at her earnestly, and the wisdom of her heart seemed +to enter into his; but she said: ‘It is of men we must +talk, and of me and thee. Come with me, my +friend.’</p> +<p>And she stepped lightly over the threshold and drew him +in. The Hall was stern and grim and somewhat dusky, for its +windows were but small: it was all of stone, both walls and +roof. There was no timber-work therein save the benches and +chairs, a little about the doors at the lower end that led to the +buttery <a name="page108"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +108</span>and out-bowers; and this seemed to have been wrought of +late years; yea, the chairs against the gable on the daïs +were of stone built into the wall, adorned with carving somewhat +sparingly, the image of the Wolf being done over the midmost of +them. He looked up and down the Hall, and deemed it some +seventy feet over all from end to end; and he could see in the +dimness those same goodly hangings on the wall which he had seen +in the woodland booth.</p> +<p>She led him up to the daïs, and stood there leaning up +against the arm of one of those stone seats silent for a while; +then she turned and looked at him, and said:</p> +<p>‘Yea, thou lookest a goodly warrior; yet am I glad that +thou camest hither without battle. Tell me, +Gold-mane,’ she said, taking one of his spears from his +hand, ‘art thou deft with the spear?’</p> +<p>‘I have been called so,’ said he.</p> +<p>She looked at him sweetly and said: ‘Canst thou show me +the feat of spear-throwing in this Hall, or shall we wend outside +presently that I may see thee throw?’</p> +<p>‘The Hall sufficeth,’ he said. ‘Shall +I set this steel in the lintel of the buttery door +yonder?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, if thou canst,’ she said.</p> +<p>He smiled and took the spear from her, and poised it and shook +it till it quivered again, then suddenly drew back his arm and +cast, and the shaft sped whistling down the dim hall, and smote +the aforesaid door-lintel and stuck there quivering: then he +sprang down from the daïs, and ran down the hall, and put +forth his hand and pulled it forth from the wood, and was on the +daïs again in a trice, and cast again, and the second time +set the spear in the same place, and then took his other spear +from the board and cast it, and there stood the two staves in the +wood side by side; then he went soberly down the hall and drew +them both out of the wood and came back to her, while she stood +watching him, her cheek flushed, her lips a little parted.</p> +<p><a name="page109"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 109</span>She +said: ‘Good spear-casting, forsooth! and far above what our +folk can do, who be no great throwers of the spear.’</p> +<p>Gold-mane laughed: ‘Sooth is that,’ said he, +‘or hardly were I here to teach thee +spear-throwing.’</p> +<p>‘Wilt thou <i>never</i> be paid for that simple +onslaught?’ she said.</p> +<p>‘Have I been paid then?’ said he.</p> +<p>She reddened, for she remembered her word to him on the +mountain; and he put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her +cheek, but timorously; nor did she withstand him or shrink aback, +but said soberly:</p> +<p>‘Good indeed is thy spear-throwing, and meseems my +brother will love thee when he hath seen thee strike a stroke or +two in wrath. But, fair warrior, there be no foemen here: +so get thee to the lower end of the Hall, and in the bower beyond +shalt thou find fresh water; there wash the waste from off thee, +and do off thine helm and hauberk, and come back speedily and eat +with me; for I hunger, and so dost thou.’</p> +<p>He did as she bade him, and came back presently bearing in his +hand both helm and hauberk, and he looked light-limbed and trim +and lissome, an exceeding goodly man.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX. THE FAIR WOMAN TELLETH FACE-OF-GOD OF HER +KINDRED.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> he came back to the daïs +he saw that there was meat upon the board, and the Friend said to +him:</p> +<p>‘Now art thou Gold-mane indeed: but come now, sit by me +and eat, though the Wood-woman giveth thee but a sorry banquet, O +guest; but from the Dale it is, and we be too far now from the +dwellings of men to have delicate meat on the board, though +to-night when they come back thy cheer shall be better. Yet +even then thou shalt have no such dainties as Stone-face hath +imagined for thee at the hands of the Wood-wight.’</p> +<p><a name="page110"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 110</span>She +laughed therewith, and he no less; and in sooth the meat was but +simple, of curds and new cheese, meat of the herdsmen. But +Face-of-god said gaily: ‘Sweet it shall be to me; good is +all that the Friend giveth.’</p> +<p>Then she raised her hand and made the sign of the Hammer over +the board, and looked up at him and said:</p> +<p>‘Hath the Earth-god changed my face, Gold-mane, to what +I verily am?’</p> +<p>He held his face close to hers and looked into it, and +him-seemed it was as pure as the waters of a mountain lake, and +as fine and well-wrought every deal of it as when his father had +wrought in his stithy many days and fashioned a small piece of +great mastery. He was ashamed to kiss her again, but he +said to himself, ‘This is the fairest woman of the world, +whom I have sworn to wed this year.’ Then he spake +aloud and said:</p> +<p>‘I see the face of the Friend, and it will not change to +me.’</p> +<p>Again she reddened a little, and the happy look in her face +seemed to grow yet sweeter, and he was bewildered with longing +and delight.</p> +<p>But she stood up and went to an ambrye in the wall and brought +forth a horn shod and lipped with silver of ancient fashion, and +she poured wine into it and held it forth and said:</p> +<p>‘O guest from the Dale, I pledge thee! and when thou +hast drunk to me in turn we will talk of weighty matters. +For indeed I bear hopes in my hands too heavy for the daughters +of men to bear; and thou art a chieftain’s son, and mayst +well help me to bear them; so let us talk simply and without +guile, as folk that trust one another.’</p> +<p>So she drank and held out the horn to him, and he took the +horn and her hand both, and he kissed her hand and said:</p> +<p>‘Here in this Hall I drink to the Sons of the Wolf, +whosoever they be.’ Therewith he drank and he said: +‘Simply and guilelessly indeed will I talk with thee; for I +am weary of lies, and for thy sake have I told a many.’</p> +<p><a name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +111</span>‘Thou shalt tell no more,’ she said; +‘and as for the health thou hast drunk, it is good, and +shall profit thee. Now sit we here in these ancient seats +and let us talk.’</p> +<p>So they sat them down while the sun was westering in the March +afternoon, and she said:</p> +<p>‘Tell me first what tidings have been in the +Dale.’</p> +<p>So he told her of the ransackings and of the murder at +Carlstead.</p> +<p>She said: ‘These tidings have we heard before, and some +deal of them we know better than ye do, or can; for we were the +ransackers of Penny-thumb and Harts-bane. Thereof will I +say more presently. What other tidings hast thou to tell +of? What oaths were sworn upon the Boar last +Yule?’</p> +<p>So he told her of the oath of Bristler the son of +Brightling. She smiled and said: ‘He shall keep his +oath, and yet redden no blade.’</p> +<p>Then he told of his father’s oath, and she said:</p> +<p>‘It is good; but even so would he do and no oath +sworn. All men may trust Iron-face. And thou, my +friend, what oath didst thou swear?’</p> +<p>His face grew somewhat troubled as he said: ‘I swore to +wed the fairest woman in the world, though the Dalesmen gainsaid +me, and they beyond the Dale.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘and there is no need to +ask thee whom thou didst mean by thy “fairest woman,” +for I have seen that thou deemest me fair enough. My +friend, maybe thy kindred will be against it, and the kindred of +the Bride; and it might be that my kindred would have gainsaid it +if things were not as they are. But though all men gainsay +it, yet will not I. It is meet and right that we twain +wed.’</p> +<p>She spake very soberly and quietly, but when she had spoken +there was nothing in his heart but joy and gladness: yet shame of +her loveliness refrained him, and he cast down his eyes before +hers. Then she said in a kind voice:</p> +<p>‘I know thee, how glad thou art of this word of mine, +because <a name="page112"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +112</span>thou lookest on me with eyes of love, and thinkest of +me as better than I am; though I am no ill woman and no +beguiler. But this is not all that I have to say to thee, +though it be much; for there are more folk in the world than thou +and I only. But I told thee this first, that thou mightest +trust me in all things. So, my friend, if thou canst, +refrain thy joy and thy longing a little, and hearken to what +concerneth thee and me, and thy people and mine.’</p> +<p>‘Fair woman and sweet friend,’ he said, +‘thou knowest of a gladness which is hard to bear if one +must lay it aside for a while; and of a longing which is hard to +refrain if it mingle with another longing—knowest thou +not?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘I know it.’</p> +<p>‘Yet,’ said Face-of-god, ‘I will forbear as +thou biddest me. Tell me, then, what were the felons who +were slain at Carlstead? Knowest thou of them?’</p> +<p>‘Over well,’ she said, ‘they are our foes +this many a year; and since we met last autumn they have become +foes of you Dalesmen also. Soon shall ye have tidings of +them; and it was against them that I bade thee arm +yesterday.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Is it against them that thou wouldst +have us do battle along with thy folk?’</p> +<p>‘So it is,’ she said; ‘no other foemen have +we. And now, Gold-mane, thou art become a friend of the +Wolf, and shalt before long be of affinity with our House; that +other day thou didst ask me to tell thee of me and mine, and now +will I do according to thine asking. Short shall my tale +be; because maybe thou shalt hear it told again, and in goodly +wise, before thine whole folk.</p> +<p>‘As thou wottest we be now outlaws and Wolves’ +Heads; and whiles we lift the gear of men, but ever if we may of +ill men and not of good; there is no worthy goodman of the Dale +from whom we would take one hoof, or a skin of wine, or a cake of +wax.</p> +<p>‘Wherefore are we outlaws? Because we have been +driven <a name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +113</span>from our own, and we bore away our lives and our +weapons, and little else; and for our lands, thou seest this Vale +in the howling wilderness and how narrow and poor it is, though +it hath been the nurse of warriors in time past.</p> +<p>‘Hearken! Time long ago came the kindred of the +Wolf to these Mountains of the World; and they were in a pass in +the stony maze and the utter wilderness of the Mountains, and the +foe was behind them in numbers not to be borne up against. +And so it befell that the pass forked, and there were two ways +before our Folk; and one part of them would take the way to the +north and the other the way to the south; and they could not +agree which way the whole Folk should take. So they +sundered into two companies, and one took one way and one +another. Now as to those who fared by the southern road, we +knew not what befell them, nor for long and long had we any tale +of them.</p> +<p>‘But we who took the northern road, we happened on this +Vale amidst the wilderness, and we were weary of fleeing from the +over-mastering foe; and the dale seemed enough, and a refuge, and +a place to dwell in, and no man was there before us, and few were +like to find it, and we were but a few. So we dwelt here in +this Vale for as wild as it is, the place where the sun shineth +never in the winter, and scant is the summer sunshine +therein. Here we raised a Doom-ring and builded us a Hall, +wherein thou now sittest beside me, O friend, and we dwelt here +many seasons.</p> +<p>‘We had a few sheep in the wilderness, and a few neat +fed down the grass of the Vale; and we found gems and copper in +the rocks about us wherewith at whiles to chaffer with the +aliens, and fish we drew from our river the Shivering +Flood. Also it is not to be hidden that in those days we +did not spare to lift the goods of men; yea, whiles would our +warriors fare down unto the edges of the Plain and lie in wait +there till the time served, and then drive the spoil from under +the very walls of the <a name="page114"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 114</span>Cities. Our men were not +little-hearted, nor did our women lament the death of warriors +over-much, for they were there to bear more warriors to the +Folk.</p> +<p>‘But the seasons passed, and the Folk multiplied in +Shadowy Vale, and livelihood seemed like to fail them, and needs +must they seek wider lands. So by ways which thou wilt one +day wot of, we came into a valley that lieth north-west of +Shadowy Vale: a land like thine of Burgdale, or better; wide it +was, plenteous of grass and trees, well watered, full of all +things that man can desire.</p> +<p>‘Were there men before us in this Dale? sayest +thou. Yea, but not very many, and they feeble in battle, +weak of heart, though strong of body. These, when they saw +the Sons of the Wolf with weapons in their hands, felt themselves +puny before us, and their hearts failed them; and they came to us +with gifts, and offered to share the Dale between them and us, +for they said there was enough for both folks. So we took +their offer and became their friends; and some of our Houses +wedded wives of the strangers, and gave them their women to +wife. Therein they did amiss; for the blended Folk as the +generations passed became softer than our blood, and many were +untrusty and greedy and tyrannous, and the days of the whoredom +fell upon us, and when we deemed ourselves the mightiest then +were we the nearest to our fall. But the House whereof I am +would never wed with these Westlanders, and other Houses there +were who had affinity with us who chiefly wedded with us of the +Wolf, and their fathers had come with ours into that fruitful +Dale; and these were called the Red Hand, and the Silver Arm, and +the Golden Bushel, and the Ragged Sword. Thou hast heard +those names once before, friend?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ he said, and as he spoke the picture of +that other day came back to him, and he called to mind all that +he had said, and his happiness of that hour seemed the more and +the sweeter for that memory.</p> +<p><a name="page115"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 115</span>She +went on: ‘Fair and goodly is that Dale as mine own eyes +have seen, and plentiful of all things, and up in its mountains +to the east are caves and pits whence silver is digged +abundantly; therefore is the Dale called Silver-dale. Hast +thou heard thereof, my friend?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Face-of-god, ‘though I have +marvelled whence ye gat such foison of silver.’</p> +<p>He looked on her and marvelled, for now she seemed as if it +were another woman: her eyes were gleaming bright, her lips were +parted; there was a bright red flush on the pommels of her two +cheeks as she spake again and said:</p> +<p>‘Happy lived the Folk in Silver-dale for many and many +winters and summers: the seasons were good and no lack was there: +little sickness there was and less war, and all seemed better +than well. It is strange that ye Dalesmen have not heard of +Silver-dale.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said he, ‘but I have not; of +Rose-dale have I heard, as a land very far away: but no further +do we know of toward that aírt. Lieth Silver-dale +anywhere nigh to Rose-dale?’</p> +<p>She said: ‘It is the next dale to it, yet is it a far +journey betwixt the two, for the ice-sea pusheth a horn in +betwixt them; and even below the ice the mountain-neck is +passable to none save a bold crag-climber, and to him only +bearing his life in his hands. But, my friend, I am but +lingering over my tale, because it grieveth me sore to have to +tell it. Hearken then! In the days when I had seen +but ten summers, and my brother was a very young man, but +exceeding strong, and as beautiful as thou art now, war fell on +us without rumour or warning; for there swarmed into Silver-dale, +though not by the ways whereby we had entered it, a host of +aliens, short of stature, crooked of limb, foul of aspect, but +fierce warriors and armed full well: they were men having no +country to go back to, though they had no women or children with +them, as we had when we were young in these lands, but used all +women whom they took as their beastly lust bade them, making them +their thralls if they <a name="page116"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 116</span>slew them not. Soon we found +that these foemen asked no more of us than all we had, and +therewithal our lives to be cast away or used for their service +as beasts of burden or pleasure. There then we gathered our +fighting-men and withstood them; and if we had been all of the +kindreds of the Wolf and the fruit of the wives of warriors, we +should have driven back these felons and saved the Dale, though +it maybe more than half ruined: but the most part of us were of +that mingled blood, or of the generations of the Dalesmen whom we +had conquered long ago, and stout as they were of body their +hearts failed them, and they gave themselves up to the aliens to +be as their oxen and asses.</p> +<p>‘Why make a long tale of it? We who were left, and +could brook death but not thraldom, fought it out together, women +as well as men, till the sweetness of life and a happy chance for +escape bid us flee, vanquished but free men. For at the end +of three days’ fight we had been driven up to the +easternmost end of the Dale, and up anigh to the jaws of the pass +whereby the Folk had first come into Silver-dale, and we had +those with us who knew every cranny of that way, while to +strangers who knew it not it was utterly impassable; night was +coming on also, and even those murder-carles were weary with +slaying; and, moreover, on this last day, when they saw that they +had won all, they were fighting to keep, and not to slay, and a +few stubborn carles and queens, of what use would they be, or +where was the gain of risking life to win them?</p> +<p>‘So they forbore us, and night came on moonless and +dark; and it was the early spring season, when the days are not +yet long, and so by night and cloud we fled away, and back again +to Shadowy Vale.</p> +<p>‘Forsooth, we were but a few; for when we were gotten +into this Vale, this strip of grass and water in the wilderness, +and had told up our company, we were but two hundred and thirty +and five of men and women and children. For there were an +hundred and thirty and three grown men of all ages, and of women +grown seventy and five, and one score and seven children, whereof +I was one; <a name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +117</span>for, as thou mayst deem, it was easier for grown men +with weapons in their hands to escape from that slaughter than +for women and children.</p> +<p>‘There sat we in yonder Doom-ring and took counsel, and +to some it seemed good that we should all dwell together in +Shadowy Vale, and beset the skirts of the foemen till the days +should better; but others deemed that there was little avail +therein; and there was a mighty man of the kindred, Stone-wolf by +name, a man of middle-age, and he said, that late in life had he +tasted of war, and though the banquet was made bitter with +defeat, yet did the meat seem wholesome to him. “Come +down with me to the Cities of the Plain,” said he, +“all you who are stout warriors; and leave we here the old +men and the swains and the women and children. Hateful are +the folk there, and full of malice, but soft withal and +dastardly. Let us go down thither and make ourselves strong +amongst them, and sell our valour for their wealth till we come +to rule them, and they make us their kings, and we establish the +Folk of the Wolf amongst the aliens; then will we come back +hither and bring away that which we have left.”</p> +<p>‘So he spake, and the more part of the warriors yea said +his rede, and they went with him to the Westland, and amongst +these was my brother Folk-might (for that is his name in the +kindred). And I sorrowed at his departure, for he had borne +me thither out of the flames and the clash of swords and the +press of battle, and to me had he ever been kind and loving, +albeit he hath had the Words of hard and froward used on him full +oft.</p> +<p>‘So in this Vale abode we that were left, and the +seasons passed; some of the elders died, and some of the children +also; but more children were born, for amongst us were men and +women to whom it was lawful to wed with each other. Even +with this scanty remnant was left some of the life of the kindred +of old days; and after we had been here but a little while, the +young men, yea and the old also, and even some of the women, +would steal through passes that we, and we only, knew of, and +would fall upon <a name="page118"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +118</span>the Aliens in Silver-dale as occasion served, and lift +their goods both live and dead; and this became both a craft and +a pastime amongst us. Nor may I hide that we sometimes went +lifting otherwhere; for in the summer and autumn we would fare +west a little and abide in the woods the season through, and hunt +the deer thereof, and whiles would we drive the spoil from the +scattered folk not far from your Shepherd-Folk; but with the +Shepherds themselves and with you Dalesmen we meddled not.</p> +<p>‘Now that little wood-lawn with the toft of an ancient +dwelling in it, wherein, saith Bow-may, thou didst once rest, was +one of our summer abodes; and later on we built the hall under +the pine-wood that thou knowest.</p> +<p>‘Thus then grew up our young men; and our maids were +little softer; e’en such as Bow-may is (and kind is she +withal), and it seemed in very sooth as if the Spirit of the Wolf +was with us, and the roughness of the Waste made us fierce; and +law we had not and heeded not, though love was amongst +us.’</p> +<p>She stopped awhile and fell a-musing, and her face softened, +and she turned to him with that sweet happy look upon it and +said:</p> +<p>‘Desolate and dreary is the Dale, thou deemest, friend; +and yet for me I love it and its dark-green water, and it is to +me as if the Fathers of the kindred visit it and hold converse +with us; and there I grew up when I was little, before I knew +what a woman was, and strange communings had I with the +wilderness. Friend, when we are wedded, and thou art a +great chieftain, as thou wilt be, I shall ask of thee the boon to +suffer me to abide here at whiles that I may remember the days +when I was little and the love of the kindred waxed in +me.’</p> +<p>‘This is but a little thing to ask,’ said +Face-of-god; ‘I would thou hadst asked me more.’</p> +<p>‘Fear not,’ she said, ‘I shall ask thee for +much and many things; and some of them belike thou shalt deny +me.’</p> +<p>He shook his head; but she smiled in his face and said:</p> +<p>‘Yea, so it is, friend; but hearken. The seasons +passed, and <a name="page119"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +119</span>six years wore, and I was grown a tall slim maiden, +fleet of foot and able to endure toil enough, though I never bore +weapons, nor have done. So on a fair even of midsummer when +we were together, the most of us, round about this Hall and the +Doom-ring, we saw a tall man in bright war-gear come forth into +the Dale by the path that thou camest, and then another and +another till there were two score and seven men-at-arms standing +on the grass below the scree yonder; by that time had we gotten +some weapons in our hands, and we stood together to meet the +new-comers, but they drew no sword and notched no shaft, but came +towards us laughing and joyous, and lo! it was my brother +Folk-might and his men, those that were left of them, come back +to us from the Westland.</p> +<p>‘Glad indeed was I to behold him; and for him when he +had taken me in his arms and looked up and down the Dale, he +cried out: ‘In many fair places and many rich dwellings +have I been; but this is the hour that I have looked +for.’</p> +<p>‘Now when we asked him concerning Stone-wolf and the +others who were missing (for ten tens of stalwarth men had fared +to the Westland), he swept out his hand toward the west and said +with a solemn face: “There they lie, and grass groweth over +their bones, and we who have come aback, and ye who have abided, +these are now the children of the Wolf: there are no more now on +the earth.”</p> +<p>‘Let be! It was a fair even and high was the feast +in the Hall that night, and sweet was the converse with our folk +come back. A glad man was my brother Folk-might when he +heard that for years past we had been lifting the gear of men, +and chiefly of the Aliens in Silver-dale: and he himself was +become learned in war and a deft leader of men.</p> +<p>‘So the days passed and the seasons, and we lived on as +we might; but with Folk-might’s return there began to grow +up in all our hearts what had long been flourishing in mine, and +that was the hope of one day winning back our own again, and +dying amidst the dear groves of Silver-dale. Within these +years we had <a name="page120"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +120</span>increased somewhat in number; for if we had lost those +warriors in the Westland, and some old men who had died in the +Dale, yet our children had grown up (I have now seen twenty and +one summers) and more were growing up. Moreover, after the +first year, from the time when we began to fall upon the Dusky +Men of Silver-dale, from time to time they who went on such +adventures set free such thralls of our blood as they could fall +in with and whom they could trust in, and they dwelt (and yet +dwell) with us in the Dale: first and last we have taken in three +score and twelve of such men, and a score of women-thralls +withal.</p> +<p>‘Now during these seasons, and not very long ago, after +I was a woman grown, the thought came to me, and to Folk-might +also, that there were kindreds of the people dwelling anear us +whom we might so deal with that they should become our friends +and brothers in arms, and that through them we might win back +Silver-dale.</p> +<p>‘Of Rose-dale we wotted already that the Folk were +nought of our blood, feeble in the field, cowed by the Dusky Men, +and at last made thralls to them; so nought was to do +there. But Folk-might went to and fro to gather tidings: at +whiles I with him, at whiles one or more of Wood-father’s +children, who with their father and mother and Bow-may have +abided in the Vale ever since the Great Undoing.</p> +<p>‘Soon he fell in with thy Folk, and first of all with +the Woodlanders, and that was a joy to him; for wot ye +what? He got to know that these men were the children of +those of our Folk who had sundered from us in the mountain passes +time long and long ago; and he loved them, for he saw that they +were hardy and trusty, and warriors at heart.</p> +<p>‘Then he went amongst the Shepherd-Folk, and he deemed +them good men easily stirred, and deemed that they might soon be +won to friendship; and he knew that they were mostly come from +the Houses of the Woodlanders, so that they also were of the +kindred.</p> +<p>‘And last he came into Burgdale, and found there a merry +<a name="page121"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 121</span>and +happy Folk, little wont to war, but stout-hearted, and nowise +puny either of body or soul; he went there often and learned much +about them, and deemed that they would not be hard to win to +fellowship. And he found that the House of the Face was the +chiefest house there; and that the Alderman and his sons were +well beloved of all the folk, and that they were the men to be +won first, since through them should all others be won. I +also went to Burgstead with him twice, as I told thee erst; and I +saw thee, and I deemed that thou wouldest lightly become our +friend; and it came into my mind that I myself might wed thee, +and that the House of the Face thereby might have affinity +thenceforth with the Children of the Wolf.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Why didst thou deem thus of me, O +friend?’</p> +<p>She laughed and said: ‘Dost thou long to hear me say the +words when thou knowest my thought well? So be it. I +saw thee both young and fair; and I knew thee to be the son of a +noble, worthy, guileless man and of a beauteous woman of great +wits and good rede. And I found thee to be kind and +open-handed and simple like thy father, and like thy mother wiser +than thou thyself knew of thyself; and that thou wert desirous of +deeds and fain of women.’</p> +<p>She was silent for a while, and he also: then he said: +‘Didst thou draw me to the woods and to thee?’</p> +<p>She reddened and said: ‘I am no spell-wife: but true it +is that Wood-mother made a waxen image of thee, and thrust +through the heart thereof the pin of my girdle-buckle, and +stroked it every morning with an oak-bough over which she had +sung spells. But dost thou not remember, Gold-mane, how +that one day last Hay-month, as ye were resting in the meadows in +the cool of the evening, there came to you a minstrel that played +to you on the fiddle, and therewith sang a song that melted all +your hearts, and that this song told of the Wild-wood, and what +was therein of desire and peril and beguiling and death, and love +unto Death itself? Dost thou remember, friend?’</p> +<p><a name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +122</span>‘Yea,’ he said, ‘and how when the +minstrel was done Stone-face fell to telling us more tales yet of +the woodland, and the minstrel sang again and yet again, till his +tales had entered into my very heart.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘and that minstrel was +Wood-wont; and I sent him to sing to thee and thine, deeming that +if thou didst hearken, thou would’st seek the woodland and +happen upon us.’</p> +<p>He laughed and said: ‘Thou didst not doubt but that if +we met, thou mightest do with me as thou wouldest?’</p> +<p>‘So it is,’ she said, ‘that I doubted it +little.’</p> +<p>‘Therein wert thou wise,’ said Face-of-god; +‘but now that we are talking without guile to each other, +mightest thou tell me wherefore it was that Folk-might made that +onslaught upon me? For certain it is that he was minded to +slay me.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘It was sooth what I told thee, that whiles he +groweth so battle-eager that whatso edge-tool he beareth must +needs come out of the scabbard; but there was more in it than +that, which I could not tell thee erst. Two days before thy +coming he had been down to Burgstead in the guise of an old carle +such as thou sawest him with me in the market-place. There +was he guested in your Hall, and once more saw thee and the Bride +together; and he saw the eyes of love wherewith she looked on +thee (for so much he told me), and deemed that thou didst take +her love but lightly. And he himself looked on her with +such love (and this he told me not) that he deemed nought good +enough for her, and would have had thee give thyself up wholly to +her; for my brother is a generous man, my friend. So when I +told him on the morn of that day whereon we met that we looked to +see thee that eve (for indeed I am somewhat foreseeing), he said: +“Look thou, Sun-beam, if he cometh, it is not unlike that I +shall drive a spear through him.” +“Wherefore?” said I; “can he serve our turn +when he is dead?” Said he: “I care +little. Mine own turn will I serve. Thou sayest +<i>Wherefore</i>? I tell thee this stripling beguileth to +her torment the fairest woman that is in the <a +name="page123"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +123</span>world—such an one as is meet to be the mother of +chieftains, and to stand by warriors in their day of peril. +I have seen her; and thus have I seen her.” Then said +I: “Greatly forsooth shalt thou pleasure her by slaying +him!” And he answered: “I shall pleasure +myself. And one day she shall thank me, when she taketh my +hand in hers and we go together to the Bride-bed.” +Therewith came over me a clear foresight of the hours to come, +and I said to him: “Yea, Folk-might, cast the spear and +draw the sword; but him thou shalt not slay: and thou shalt one +day see him standing with us before the shafts of the Dusky +Men.” So I spake; but he looked fiercely at me, and +departed and shunned me all that day, and by good hap I was hard +at hand when thou drewest nigh our abode. Nay, Gold-mane, +what would’st thou with thy sword? Why art thou so +red and wrathful? Would’st thou fight with my brother +because he loveth thy friend, thine old playmate, thy kinswoman, +and thinketh pity of her sorrow?’</p> +<p>He said, with knit brow and gleaming eyes: ‘Would the +man take her away from me perforce?’</p> +<p>‘My friend,’ she said, ‘thou art not yet so +wise as not to be a fool at whiles. Is it not so that she +herself hath taken herself from thee, since she hath come to know +that thou hast given thyself to another? Hath she noted +nought of thee this winter and spring? Is she well pleased +with the ways of thee?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Thou hast spoken simply with me, and I will do +no less with thee. It was but four days agone that she did +me to wit that she knew of me how I sought my love on the +Mountain; and she put me to sore shame, and afterwards I wept for +her sorrow.’</p> +<p>Therewith he told her all that the Bride had said to him, as +he well might, for he had forgotten no word of it.</p> +<p>Then said the Friend: ‘She shall have the token that she +craveth, and it is I that shall give it to her.’</p> +<p>Therewith she took from her finger a ring wherein was set a +very fair changeful mountain-stone, and gave it to him, and +said:</p> +<p><a name="page124"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +124</span>‘Thou shalt give her this and tell her whence +thou hadst it; and tell her that I bid her remember that +To-morrow is a new day.’</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XX. THOSE TWO TOGETHER HOLD THE RING OF THE +EARTH-GOD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> now they fell silent both of +them, and sat hearkening the sounds of the Dale, from the whistle +of the plover down by the water-side to the far-off voices of the +children and maidens about the kine in the lower meadows. +At last Gold-mane took up the word and said:</p> +<p>‘Sweet friend, tell me the uttermost of what thou +would’st have of me. Is it not that I should stand by +thee and thine in the Folk-mote of the Dalesmen, and speak for +you when ye pray us for help against your foemen; and then again +that I do my best when ye and we are arrayed for battle against +the Dusky Men? This is easy to do, and great is the reward +thou offerest me.’</p> +<p>‘I look for this service of thee,’ she said, +‘and none other.’</p> +<p>‘And when I go down to the battle,’ said he, +‘shalt thou be sorry for our sundering?’</p> +<p>She said: ‘There shall be no sundering; I shall wend +with thee.’</p> +<p>Said he: ‘And if I were slain in the battle, +would’st thou lament me?’</p> +<p>‘Thou shalt not be slain,’ she said.</p> +<p>Again was there silence betwixt them, till at last he +said:</p> +<p>‘This then is why thou didst draw me to thee in the +Wild-wood?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said she.</p> +<p>Again for a while no word was spoken, and Face-of-god looked +on her till she cast her eyes down before him.</p> +<p>Then at last he spake, and the colour came and went in his +face as he said: ‘Tell me thy name what it is.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘I am called the Sun-beam.’</p> +<p>Then he said, and his voice trembled therewith: ‘O +Sun-beam, I have been seeking pleasant and cunning words, and can +find <a name="page125"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +125</span>none such. But tell me this if thou wilt: dost +thou desire me as I desire thee? or is it that thou wilt suffer +me to wed thee and bed thee at last as mere payment for the help +that I shall give to thee and thine? Nay, doubt it not that +I will take the payment, if this is what thou wilt give me and +nought else. Yet tell me.’</p> +<p>Her face grew troubled, and she said:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane, maybe that thou hast now asked me one +question too many; for this is no fair game to be played between +us. For thee, as I deem, there are this day but two people +in the world, and that is thou and I, and the earth is for us two +alone. But, my friend, though I have seen but twenty and +one summers, it is nowise so with me, and to me there are many in +the world; and chiefly the Folk of the Wolf, amidst whose very +heart I have grown up. Moreover, I can think of her whom I +have supplanted, the Bride to wit; and I know her, and how bitter +and empty her days shall be for a while, and how vain all our +redes for her shall seem to her. Yea, I know her sorrow, +and see it and grieve for it: so canst not thou, unless thou +verily see her before thee, her face unhappy, and her voice +changed and hard. Well, I will tell thee what thou +askest. When I drew thee to me on the Mountain I thought +but of the friendship and brotherhood to be knitted up between +our two Folks, nor did I anywise desire thy love of a young +man. But when I saw thee on the heath and in the Hall that +day, it pleased me to think that a man so fair and chieftain-like +should one day lie by my side; and again when I saw that the love +of me had taken hold of thee, I would not have thee grieved +because of me, but would have thee happy. And now what +shall I say?—I know not; I cannot tell. Yet am I the +Friend, as erst I called myself.</p> +<p>‘And, Gold-mane, I have seen hitherto but the outward +show and image of thee, and though that be goodly, how would it +be if thou didst shame me with little-heartedness and evil +deeds? Let me see thee in the Folk-mote and the battle, and +then may I answer thee.’</p> +<p><a name="page126"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 126</span>Then +she held her peace, and he answered nothing; and she turned her +face from him and said:</p> +<p>‘Out on it! have I beguiled myself as well as +thee? These are but empty words I have been saying. +If thou wilt drag the truth out of me, this is the very truth: +that to-day is happy to me as it is to thee, and that I have +longed sore for its coming. O Gold-mane, O speech-friend, +if thou wert to pray me or command me that I lie in thine arms +to-night, I should know not how to gainsay thee. Yet I +beseech thee to forbear, lest thy death and mine come of +it. And why should we die, O friend, when we are so young, +and the world lies so fair before us, and the happy days are at +hand when the Children of the Wolf and the kindreds of the Dale +shall deliver the Folk, and all days shall be good and all +years?’</p> +<p>They had both risen up as she spake, and now he put forth his +hands to her and took her in his arms, wondering the while, as he +drew her to him, how much slenderer and smaller and weaker she +seemed in his embrace than he had thought of her; and when their +lips met, he felt that she kissed him as he her. Then he +held her by the shoulders at arms’ length from him, and +beheld her face how her eyes were closed and her lips +quivering. But before him, in a moment of time, passed a +picture of the life to be in the fair Dale, and all she would +give him there, and the days good and lovely from morn to eve and +eve to morn; and though in that moment it was hard for him to +speak, at last he spoke in a voice hoarse at first, and said:</p> +<p>‘Thou sayest sooth, O friend; we will not die, but live; +I will not drag our deaths upon us both, nor put a sword in the +hands of Folk-might, who loves me not.’</p> +<p>Then he kissed her on the brow and said: ‘Now shalt thou +take me by the hand and lead me forth from the Hall. For +the day is waxing old, and here meseemeth in this dim hall there +are words crossing in the air about us—words spoken in days +long ago, and tales of old time, that keep egging me on to do my +will <a name="page127"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 127</span>and +die, because that is all that the world hath for a valiant man; +and to such words I would not hearken, for in this hour I have no +will to die, nor can I think of death.’</p> +<p>She took his hand and led him forth without more words, and +they went hand in hand and paced slowly round the Doom-ring, the +light air breathing upon them till their faces were as calm and +quiet as their wont was, and hers especially as bright and happy +as when he had first seen her that day.</p> +<p>The sun was sinking now, and only sent one golden ray into the +valley through a cleft in the western rock-wall, but the sky +overhead was bright and clear; from the meadows came the sound of +the lowing of kine and the voices of children a-sporting, and it +seemed to Gold-mane that they were drawing nigher, both the +children and the kine, and somewhat he begrudged it that he +should not be alone with the Friend.</p> +<p>Now when they had made half the circuit of the Doom-ring, the +Sun-beam stopped him, and then led him through the Ring of +Stones, and brought him up to the altar which was amidst of it; +and the altar was a great black stone hewn smooth and clean, and +with the image of the Wolf carven on the front thereof; and on +its face lay the gold ring which the priest or captain of the +Folk bore on his arm between the God and the people at all +folk-motes.</p> +<p>So she said: ‘This is the altar of the God of Earth, and +often hath it been reddened by mighty men; and thereon lieth the +Ring of the Sons of the Wolf; and now it were well that we swore +troth on that ring before my brother cometh; for now will he soon +be here.’</p> +<p>Then Gold-mane took the Ring and thrust his right hand through +it, and took her right hand in his; so that the Ring lay on both +their hands, and therewith he spake aloud:</p> +<p>‘I am Face-of-god of the House of the Face, and I do +thee to wit, O God of the Earth, that I pledge my troth to this +woman, the Sun-beam of the Kindred of the Wolf, to beget my +offspring <a name="page128"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +128</span>on her, and to live with her, and to die with her: so +help me, thou God of the Earth, and the Warrior and the God of +the Face!’</p> +<p>Then spake the Sun-beam: ‘I, the Sun-beam of the +Children of the Wolf, pledge my troth to Face-of-god to lie in +his bed and to bear his children and none other’s, and to +be his speech-friend till I die: so help me the Wolf and the +Warrior and the God of the Earth!’</p> +<p>Then they laid the Ring on the altar again, and they kissed +each other long and sweetly, and then turned away from the altar +and departed from the Doom-ring, going hand in hand together down +the meadow, and as they went, the noise of the kine and the +children grew nearer and nearer, and presently came the whole +company of them round a ness of the rock-wall; there were some +thirty little lads and lasses driving on the milch-kine, with +half a score of older maids and grown women, one of whom was +Bow-may, who was lightly and scantily clad, as one who heeds not +the weather, or deems all months midsummer.</p> +<p>The children came running up merrily when they saw the +Sun-beam, but stopped short shyly when they noted the tall fair +stranger with her. They were all strong and sturdy +children, and some very fair, but brown with the weather, if not +with the sun. Bow-may came up to Gold-mane and took his +hand and greeted him kindly and said:</p> +<p>‘So here thou art at last in Shadowy Vale; and I hope +that thou art content therewith, and as happy as I would wish +thee to be. Well, this is the first time; and when thou +comest the second time it may well be that the world shall be +growing better.’</p> +<p>She held the distaff which she bore in her hand (for she had +been spinning) as if it were a spear; her limbs were goodly and +shapely, and she trod the thick grass of the Vale with a kind of +wary firmness, as though foemen might be lurking nearby. +The Sun-beam smiled upon her kindly and said:</p> +<p>‘That shall not fail to be, Bow-may: ye have won a new +friend <a name="page129"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +129</span>to-day. But tell me, when dost thou look to see +the men here, for I was down by the water when they went away +yesterday?’</p> +<p>‘They shall come into the Dale a little after +sunset,’ said Bow-may.</p> +<p>‘Shall I abide them, my friend?’ said Gold-mane, +turning to the Sun-beam.</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said; ‘for what else art thou +come hither? or art thou so pressed to depart from us? Last +time we met thou wert not so hasty to sunder.’</p> +<p>They smiled on each other; and Bow-may looked on them and +laughed outright; then a flush showed in her cheeks through the +tan of them, and she turned toward the children and the other +women who were busied about the milking of the kine.</p> +<p>But those two sat down together on a bank amidst the plain +meadow, facing the river and the eastern rock-wall, and the +Sun-beam said:</p> +<p>‘I am fain to speak to thee and to see thine eyes +watching me while I speak; and now, my friend, I will tell thee +something unasked which has to do with what e’en now thou +didst ask me; for I would have thee trust me wholly, and know me +for what I am. Time was I schemed and planned for this day +of betrothal; but now I tell thee it has become no longer needful +for bringing to pass our fellowship in arms with thy +people. Yea yesterday, ere he went on a hunt, whereof he +shall tell thee, Folk-might was against it, in words at least; +and yet as one who would have it done if he might have no part in +it. So, in good sooth, this hand that lieth in thine is the +hand of a wilful woman, who desireth a man, and would keep him +for her speech-friend. Now art thou fond and happy; yet +bear in mind that there are deeds to be done, and the troth we +have just plighted must be paid for. So hearken, I bid +thee. Dost thou care to know why the wheedling of thee is +no longer needful to us?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘A little while ago I should have said, Yea, If +thy lips say the words. But now, O friend, it seemeth as if +thine <a name="page130"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +130</span>heart were already become a part of mine, and I feel as +if the chieftain were growing up in me and the longing for deeds: +so I say, Tell me, for I were fain to hear what toucheth the +welfare of thy Folk and their fellowship with my Folk; for on +that also have I set my heart?’</p> +<p>She said gravely and with solemn eyes:</p> +<p>‘What thou sayest is good: full glad am I that I have +not plighted my troth to a mere goodly lad, but rather to a +chieftain and a warrior. Now then hearken! Since I +saw thee first in the autumn this hath happened, that the Dusky +Men, increasing both in numbers and insolence, have it in their +hearts to win more than Silver-dale, and it is years since they +have fallen upon Rose-dale and conquered it, rather by murder +than by battle, and made all men thralls there, for feeble were +the Folk thereof; and doubt it not but that they will look into +Burgdale before long. They are already abroad in the woods, +and were it not for the fear of the Wolf they would be thicker +therein, and faring wider; for we have slain many of them, coming +upon them unawares; and they know not where we dwell, nor who we +be: so they fear to spread about over-much and pry into unknown +places lest the Wolf howl on them. Yet beware! for they +will gather in numbers that we may not meet, and then will they +swarm into the Dale; and if ye would live your happy life that ye +love so well, ye must now fight for it; and in that battle must +ye needs join yourselves to us, that we may help each +other. Herein have ye nought to choose, for now with you it +is no longer a thing to talk of whether ye will help certain +strangers and guests and thereby win some gain to yourselves, but +whether ye have the hearts to fight for yourselves, and the wits +to be the fellows of tall men and stout warriors who have pledged +their lives to win or die for it.’</p> +<p>She was silent a little and then turned and looked fondly on +Face-of-god and said:</p> +<p>‘Therefore, Gold-mane, we need thee no longer; for thou +must needs fight in our battle. I have no longer aught to +do to wheedle <a name="page131"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +131</span>thee to love me. Yet if thou wilt love me, then +am I a glad woman.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Thou wottest well that thou hast all my love, +neither will I fail thee in the battle. I am not +little-hearted, though I would have given myself to thee for no +reward.’</p> +<p>‘It is well,’ said the Sun-beam; ‘nought is +undone by that which I have done. Moreover, it is good that +we have plighted troth to-day. For Folk-might will +presently hear thereof, and he must needs abide the thing which +is done. Hearken! he cometh.’</p> +<p>For as she spoke there came a glad cry from the women and +children, and those two stood up and turned toward the west and +beheld the warriors of the Wolf coming down into the Dale by the +way that Gold-mane had come.</p> +<p>‘Come,’ said the Sun-beam, ‘here are your +brethren in arms, let us go greet them; they will rejoice in +thee.’</p> +<p>So they went thither, and there stood eighty and seven men on +the grass below the scree and Folk-might their captain; and +besides some valiant women, and a few carles who were on watch on +the waste, and a half score who had been left in the Dale, these +were all the warriors of the Wolf. They were clad in no +holiday raiment, not even Folk-might, but were in sheep-brown +gear of the coarsest, like to husbandmen late come from the +plough, but armed well and goodly.</p> +<p>But when the twain drew near, the men clashed their spears on +their shields, and cried out for joy of them, for they all knew +what Face-of-god’s presence there betokened of fellowship +with the kindreds; but Folk-might came forward and took +Face-of-god’s hand and greeted him and said:</p> +<p>‘Hail, son of the Alderman! Here hast thou come +into the ancient abode of chieftains and warriors, and belike +deeds await thee also.’</p> +<p>Yet his brow was knitted as he said these words, and he spake +slowly, as one that constraineth himself; but presently his face +cleared somewhat and he said:</p> +<p><a name="page132"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +132</span>‘Dalesman, it behoveth thy people to bestir them +if ye would live and see good days. Hath my sister told +thee what is toward? Or what sayest thou?’</p> +<p>‘Hail to thee, son of the Wolf!’ said +Face-of-god. ‘Thy sister hath told me all; and even +if these Dusky Felons were not our foe-men also, yet could I have +my way, we should have given thee all help, and should have +brought back peace and good days to thy folk.’</p> +<p>Then Folk-might flushed red and spake, as he cast out his hand +towards the warriors and up and down toward the Dale:</p> +<p>‘These be my folk, and these only: and as to peace, only +those of us know of it who are old men. Yet is it well; and +if we and ye together be strong enough to bring back good days to +the feeble men whom the Dusky Ones torment in Silver-dale it +shall be better yet.’</p> +<p>Then he turned about to his sister, and looked keenly into her +eyes till she reddened, and took her hand and looked at the wrist +and said:</p> +<p>‘O sister, see I not the mark on thy wrist of the Ring +of the God of the Earth? Have not oaths been sworn since +yesterday?’</p> +<p>‘True it is,’ she said, ‘that this man and I +have plighted troth together at the altar of the +Doom-ring.’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘Thou wilt have thy will, and I may not +amend it.’ Therewith he turned about to Face-of-god +and said:</p> +<p>‘Thou must look to it to keep this oath, whatever other +one thou hast failed in.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god somewhat wrathfully: ‘I shall keep it, +whether thou biddest me to keep it or break it.’</p> +<p>‘That is well,’ said Folk-might, ‘and then +for all that hath gone before thou mayest in a manner pay, if +thou art dauntless before the foe.’</p> +<p>‘I look to be no blencher in the battle,’ said +Face-of-god; ‘that is not the fashion of our kindred, +whosoever may be before us. Yea, and even were it thy +blade, O mighty warrior of the Wolf, I would do my best to meet +it in manly fashion.’</p> +<p><a name="page133"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 133</span>As he +spake he half drew forth Dale-warden from his sheath, looking +steadily into the eyes of Folk-might; and the Sun-beam looked +upon him happily. But Folk-might laughed and said:</p> +<p>‘Thy sword is good, and I deem that thine heart will not +fail thee; but it is by my side and not in face of me that thou +shalt redden the good blade: I see not the day when we twain +shall hew at each other.’</p> +<p>Then in a while he spake again:</p> +<p>‘Thou must pardon us if our words are rough; for we have +stood in rough places, where we had to speak both short and loud, +whereas there was much to do. But now will we twain talk of +matters that concern chieftains who are going on a hard +adventure. And ye women, do ye dight the Hall for the +evening feast, which shall be the feast of the troth-plight for +you twain. This indeed we owe thee, O guest; for little +shall be thine heritage which thou shalt have with my sister, +over and above that thy sword winneth for thee.’</p> +<p>But the Sun-beam said: ‘Hast thou any +to-night?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ he said; ‘Spear-god, how many was +it?’</p> +<p>There came forward a tall man bearing an axe in his right +hand, and carrying over his shoulder by his left hand a bundle of +silver arm-rings just such as Gold-mane had seen on the felons +who were slain by Wood-grey’s house. The carle cast +them on the ground and then knelt down and fell to telling them +over; and then looked up and said: ‘Twelve yesterday in the +wood where the battle was going on; and this morning seven by the +tarn in the pine-wood and six near this eastern edge of the wood: +one score and five all told. But, Folk-might, they are +coming nigh to Shadowy Vale.’</p> +<p>‘Sooth is that,’ said Folk-might; ‘but it +shall be looked to. Come now apart with me, +Face-of-god.’</p> +<p>So the others went their ways toward the Hall, while +Folk-might led the Burgdaler to a sheltered nook under the sheer +rocks, and there they sat down to talk, and Folk-might asked <a +name="page134"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 134</span>Gold-mane +closely of the muster of the Dalesmen and the Shepherds and the +Woodland Caries, and he was well pleased when Face-of-god told +him of how many could march to a stricken field, and of their +archery, and of their weapons and their goodness.</p> +<p>All this took some time in the telling, and now night was +coming on apace, and Folk-might said:</p> +<p>‘Now will it be time to go to the Hall; but keep in thy +mind that these Dusky Men will overrun you unless ye deal with +them betimes. These are of the kind that ye must cast fear +into their hearts by falling on them; for if ye abide till they +fall upon you, they are like the winter wolves that swarm on and +on, how many soever ye slay. And this above all things +shall help you, that we shall bring you whereas ye shall fall on +them unawares and destroy them as boys do with a wasp’s +nest. Yet shall many a mother’s son bite the +dust.</p> +<p>‘Is it not so that in four weeks’ time is your +spring-feast and market at Burgstead, and thereafter the great +Folk-mote?’</p> +<p>‘So it is,’ said Gold-mane.</p> +<p>‘Thither shall I come then,’ said Folk-might, +‘and give myself out for the slayer of Rusty and the +ransacker of Harts-bane and Penny-thumb; and therefor shall I +offer good blood-wite and theft-wite; and thy father shall take +that; for he is a just man. Then shall I tell my +tale. Yet it may be thou shalt see us before if battle +betide. And now fair befall this new year; for soon shall +the scabbards be empty and the white swords be dancing in the +air, and spears and axes shall be the growth of this +spring-tide.’</p> +<p>And he leaped up from his seat and walked to and fro before +Gold-mane, and now was it grown quite dark. Then Folk-might +turned to Face-of-god and said:</p> +<p>‘Come, guest, the windows of the Hall are yellow; let us +to the feast. To-morrow shalt thou get thee to the +beginning of this work. I hope of thee that thou art a good +sword; else have I <a name="page135"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +135</span>done a folly and my sister a worse one. But now +forget that, and feast.’</p> +<p>Gold-mane arose, not very well at ease, for the man seemed +overbearing; yet how might he fall upon the Sun-beam’s +kindred, and the captain of these new brethren in arms? So +he spake not. But Folk-might said to him:</p> +<p>‘Yet I would not have thee forget that I was wroth with +thee when I saw thee to-day; and had it not been for the coming +battle I had drawn sword upon thee.’</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god’s wrath was stirred, and he said:</p> +<p>‘There is yet time for that! but why art thou wroth with +me? And I shall tell thee that there is little manliness in +thy chiding. For how may I fight with thee, thou the +brother of my plighted speech-friend and my captain in this +battle?’</p> +<p>‘Therein thou sayest sooth,’ said Folk-might; +‘but hard it was to see you two standing together; and thou +canst not give the Bride to me as I give my sister to thee. +For I have seen her, and I have seen her looking at thee; and I +know that she will not have it so.’</p> +<p>Then they went on together toward the Hall, and Face-of-god +was silent and somewhat troubled; and as they drew near to the +Hall, Folk-might spake again:</p> +<p>‘Yet time may amend it; and if not, there is the battle, +and maybe the end. Now be we merry!’</p> +<p>So they went into the Hall together, and there was the +Sun-beam gloriously arrayed, as erst in the woodland bower, and +Face-of-god sat on the daïs beside her, and the uttermost +sweetness of desire entered into his soul as he noted her eyes +and her mouth, that were grown so kind to him, and her hand that +strayed toward his.</p> +<p>The Hall was full of folk, and all those warriors were there +with Wood-father and his sons, and Wood-mother, and Bow-may and +many other women; and Gold-mane looked down the Hall and deemed +that he had never seen such stalwarth bodies of men, or <a +name="page136"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 136</span>so bold and +meet for battle: as for the women he had seen fairer in Burgdale, +but these were fair of their own fashion, shapely and well-knit, +and strong-armed and large-limbed, yet sweet-voiced and gentle +withal. Nay, the very lads of fifteen winters or so, +whereof a few were there, seemed bold and bright-eyed and keen of +wit, and it seemed like that if the warriors fared afield these +would be with them.</p> +<p>So wore the feast; and Folk-might as aforetime amongst the +healths called on men to drink to the Jaws of the Wolf, and the +Red Hand, and the Silver Arm, and the Golden Bushel, and the +Ragged Sword. But now had Face-of-god no need to ask what +these meant, since he knew that they were the names of the +kindreds of the Wolf. They drank also to the troth-plight +and to those twain, and shouted aloud over the health and clashed +their weapons: and Gold-mane wondered what echo of that shout +would reach to Burgstead.</p> +<p>Then sang men songs of old time, and amongst them Wood-wont +stood with his fiddle amidst the Hall and Bow-may beside him, and +they sang in turn to it sweetly and clearly; and this is some of +what they sang:</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>She singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Wild is the waste and long leagues over;<br /> + Whither then wend ye spear and sword,<br /> +Where nought shall see your helms but the plover,<br /> + Far and far from the dear Dale’s sward?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>He singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Many a league shall we wend together<br /> + With helm and spear and bended bow.<br /> +Hark! how the wind blows up for weather:<br /> + Dark shall the night be whither we go.</p> +<p class="poetry">Dark shall the night be round the byre,<br /> + And dark as we drive the brindled kine;<br /> +<a name="page137"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 137</span>Dark and +dark round the beacon-fire,<br /> + Dark down in the pass round our wavering line.</p> +<p class="poetry">Turn on thy path, O fair-foot maiden,<br /> + And come our ways by the pathless road;<br /> +Look how the clouds hang low and laden<br /> + Over the walls of the old abode!</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>She singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Bare are my feet for the rough waste’s +wending,<br /> + Wild is the wind, and my kirtle’s thin;<br /> +Faint shall I be ere the long way’s ending<br /> + Drops down to the Dale and the grief therein.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>He singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Do on the brogues of the wild-wood rover,<br /> + Do on the byrnies’ ring-close mail;<br /> +Take thou the staff that the barbs hang over,<br /> + O’er the wind and the waste and the way to +prevail.</p> +<p class="poetry">Come, for how from thee shall I sunder?<br /> + Come, that a tale may arise in the land;<br /> +Come, that the night may be held for a wonder,<br /> + When the Wolf was led by a maiden’s hand!</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>She singeth</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Now will I fare as ye are faring,<br /> + And wend no way but the way ye wend;<br /> +And bear but the burdens ye are bearing,<br /> + And end the day as ye shall end.</p> +<p class="poetry">And many an eve when the clouds are drifting<br +/> + Down through the Dale till they dim the roof,<br /> +Shall they tell in the Hall of the Maiden’s Lifting,<br /> + And how we drave the spoil aloof.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><a name="page138"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 138</span><i>They sing together</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">Over the moss through the wind and the +weather,<br /> + Through the morn and the eve and the death of the +day,<br /> +Wend we man and maid together,<br /> + For out of the waste is born the fray.</p> +<p>Then the Sun-beam spake to Gold-mane softly, and told him how +this song was made by a minstrel concerning a foray in the early +days of their first abode in Shadowy Vale, and how in good sooth +a maiden led the fray and was the captain of the warriors:</p> +<p>‘Erst,’ she said, ‘this was counted as a +wonder; but now we are so few that it is no wonder though the +women will do whatsoever they may.’</p> +<p>So they talked, and Gold-mane was very happy; but ere the +good-night cup was drunk, Folk-might spake to Face-of-god and +said:</p> +<p>‘It were well that ye rose betimes in the morning: but +thou shalt not go back by the way thou camest. Wood-wise +and another shall go with thee, and show thee a way across the +necks and the heaths, which is rough enough as far as toil goes, +but where thy life shall be safer; and thereby shalt thou hit the +ghyll of the Weltering Water, and so come down safely into +Burgdale. Now that we are friends and fellows, it is no +hurt for thee to know the shortest way to Shadowy Vale. +What thou shalt tell concerning us in Burgdale I leave the tale +thereof to thee; yet belike thou wilt not tell everything till I +come to Burgstead at the spring market-tide. Now must I +presently to bed; for before daylight to-morrow must I be +following the hunt along with two score good men of +ours.’</p> +<p>‘What beast is afield then?’ said Gold-mane.</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘The beasts that beset our lives, the +Dusky Men. In these days we have learned how to find +companies of them; and forsooth every week they draw nigher to +this Dale; and some day they should happen upon us if we were not +to look <a name="page139"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +139</span>to it, and then would there be a murder great and grim; +therefore we scour the heaths round about, and the skirts of the +woodland, and we fall upon these felons in divers guises, so that +they may not know us for the same men; whiles are we clad in +homespun, as to-day, and seem like to field-working carles; +whiles in scarlet and gold, like knights of the Westland; whiles +in wolf-skins; whiles in white glittering gear, like the Wights +of the Waste: and in all guises these felons, for all their +fierce hearts, fear us, and flee from us, and we follow and slay +them, and so minish their numbers somewhat against the great day +of battle.’</p> +<p>‘Tell me,’ said Gold-mane; ‘when we fall +upon Silver-dale shall their thralls, the old Dale-dwellers, +fight for them or for us?’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘The Dusky Men will not dare to put +weapons into the hands of their thralls. Nay, the thralls +shall help us; for though they have but small stomach for the +fight, yet joyfully when the fight is over shall they cut their +masters’ throats.’</p> +<p>‘How is it with these thralls?’ said +Gold-mane. ‘I have never seen a thrall.’</p> +<p>‘But I,’ said Folk-might, ‘have seen a many +down in the Cities. And there were thralls who were the +tyrants of thralls, and held the whip over them; and of the +others there were some who were not very hardly entreated. +But with these it is otherwise, and they all bear grievous pains +daily; for the Dusky Men are as hogs in a garden of lilies. +Whatsoever is fair there have they defiled and deflowered, and +they wallow in our fair halls as swine strayed from the +dunghill. No delight in life, no sweet days do they have +for themselves, and they begrudge the delight of others +therein. Therefore their thralls know no rest or solace; +their reward of toil is many stripes, and the healing of their +stripes grievous toil. To many have they appointed to dig +and mine in the silver-yielding cliffs, and of all the tasks is +that the sorest, and there do stripes abound the most. Such +thralls art thou happy not to behold till thou hast set them +free; as we shall do.’</p> +<p>‘Tell me again,’ said Face-of-god; ‘Is there +no mixed folk <a name="page140"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +140</span>between these Dusky Men and the Dalesmen, since they +have no women of their own, but lie with the women of the +Dale? Moreover, do not the poor folk of the Dale beget and +bear children, so that there are thralls born of +thralls?’</p> +<p>‘Wisely thou askest this,’ said Folk-might, +‘but thereof shall I tell thee, that when a Dusky Carle +mingles with a woman of the Dale, the child which she beareth +shall oftenest favour his race and not hers; or else shall it be +witless, a fool natural. But as for the children of these +poor thralls; yea, the masters cause them to breed if so their +masterships will, and when the children are born, they keep them +or slay them as they will, as they would with whelps or +calves. To be short, year by year these vile wretches grow +fiercer and more beastly, and their thralls more hapless and +down-trodden; and now at last is come the time either to do or to +die, as ye men of Burgdale shall speedily find out. But now +must I go sleep if I am to be where I look to be at sunrise +to-morrow.’</p> +<p>Therewith he called for the sleeping-cup, and it was drunk, +and all men fared to bed. But the Sun-beam took +Gold-mane’s hand ere they parted, and said:</p> +<p>‘I shall arise betimes on the morrow; so I say not +farewell to-night; yea, and after to-morrow it shall not be long +ere we meet again.’</p> +<p>So Gold-mane lay down in that ancient hall, and it seemed to +him ere he slept as if his own kindred were slipping away from +him and he were becoming a child of the Wolf. ‘And +yet,’ said he to himself, ‘I am become a man; for my +Friend, now she no longer telleth me to do or forbear, and I +tremble. Nay, rather she is fain to take the word from me; +and this great warrior and ripe man, he talketh with me as if I +were a chieftain meet for converse with chieftains. Even so +it is and shall be.’</p> +<p>And soon thereafter he fell asleep in the Hall in Shadowy +Vale.</p> +<h2><a name="page141"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +141</span>CHAPTER XXI. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON THE DUSKY +MEN.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> he awoke again he saw a man +standing over him, and knew him for Wood-wise: he was clad in his +war-gear, and had his quiver at his back and his bow in his hand, +for Wood-father’s children were all good bowmen, though not +so sure as Bow-may. He spake to Face-of-god:</p> +<p>‘Dawn is in the sky, Dalesman; there is yet time for +thee to wash the night off of thee in our bath of the Shivering +Flood and to put thy mouth to the milk-bowl; but time for nought +else: for I and Bow-may are appointed thy fellows for the road, +and it were well that we were back home speedily.’</p> +<p>So Face-of-god leapt up and went forth from the Hall, and +Wood-wise led to where was a pool in the river with steps cut +down to it in the rocky bank.</p> +<p>‘This,’ said Wood-wise, ‘is the +Carle’s Bath; but the Queen’s is lower down, where +the water is wider and shallower below the little mid-dale +force.’</p> +<p>So Gold-mane stripped off his raiment and leapt into the +ice-cold pool; and they had brought his weapons and war-gear with +them; so when he came out he clad and armed himself for the road, +and then turned with Wood-wise toward the outgate of the Dale; +and soon they saw two men coming from lower down the water in +such wise that they would presently cross their path, and as yet +it was little more than twilight, so that they saw not at first +who they were, but as they drew nearer they knew them for the +Sun-beam and Bow-may. The Sun-beam was clad but in her +white linen smock and blue gown as he had first seen her, her +hair was wet and dripping with the river, her face fresh and +rosy: she carried in her two hands a great bowl of milk, and +stepped delicately, lest she should spill it. But Bow-may +was clad in her war-gear with helm and byrny, and a quiver at her +back, and a bended bow in her hand. So they greeted <a +name="page142"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 142</span>each other +kindly, and the Sun-beam gave the bowl to Face-of-god and +said:</p> +<p>‘Drink, guest, for thou hast a long and thirsty road +before thee.’</p> +<p>So Face-of-god drank, and gave her the bowl back again, and +she smiled on him and drank, and the others after her till the +bowl was empty: then Bow-may put her hand on Wood-wise’s +shoulder, and they led on toward the outgate, while those twain +followed them hand in hand. But the Sun-beam said:</p> +<p>‘This then is the new day I spoke of, and lo! it +bringeth our sundering with it; yet shall it be no longer than a +day when all is said, and new days shall follow after. And +now, my friend, I shall see thee no later than the April market; +for doubt not that I shall go thither with Folk-might, whether he +will or not. Also as I led thee out of the house when we +last met, so shall I lead thee out of the Dale to-day, and I will +go with thee a little way on the waste; and therefore am I shod +this morning, as thou seest, for the ways on the waste are +rough. And now I bid thee have courage while my hand +holdeth thine. For afterwards I need not bid thee anything; +for thou wilt have enough to do when thou comest to thy Folk, and +must needs think more of warriors then than of +maidens.’</p> +<p>He looked at her and longed for her, but said soberly: +‘Thou art kind, O friend, and thinkest kindly of me +ever. But methinks it were not well done for thee to wend +with me over a deal of the waste, and come back by thyself alone, +when ye have so many foemen nearby.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, ‘they be nought so near as +that yet, and I wot that Folk-might hath gone forth toward the +north-west, where he looketh to fall in with a company of the +foemen. His battle shall be a guard unto us.’</p> +<p>‘I pray thee turn back at the top of the outgate,’ +said he, ‘and be not venturesome. Thou wottest that +the pitcher is not broken the first time it goeth to the well, +nor maybe the twentieth, but at last it cometh not +back.’</p> +<p><a name="page143"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 143</span>She +said: ‘Nevertheless I shall have my will herein. And +it is but a little way I will wend with thee.’</p> +<p>Therewith were they come to the scree, and talk fell down +between them as they clomb it; but when they were in the darksome +passage of the rocks, and could scarce see one another, +Face-of-god said:</p> +<p>‘Where then is another outgate from the Dale? Is +it not up the water?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘and there is none other: +at the lower end the rocks rise sheer from out the water, and a +little further down is a great force thundering betwixt them; so +that by no boat or raft may ye come out of the Dale. But +the outgate up the water is called the Road of War, as this is +named the Path of Peace. But now are all ways ways of +war.’</p> +<p>‘There is peace in my heart,’ said Gold-mane.</p> +<p>She answered not for a while, but pressed his hand, and he +felt her breath on his cheek; and even therewithal they came out +of the dark, and Gold-mane saw that her cheek was flushed; and +now she spake:</p> +<p>‘One thing would I say to thee, my friend. Thou +hast seen me amongst men of war, amongst outlaws who seek +violence; thou hast heard me bid my brother to count the slain, +and I shrinking not; thou knowest (for I have told thee) how I +have schemed and schemed for victorious battle. Yet I would +not have thee think of me as a Chooser of the Slain, a warrior +maiden, or as of one who hath no joy save in the battle whereto +she biddeth others. O friend, the many peaceful hours that +I have had on the grass down yonder, sitting with my rock and +spindle in hand, the children round about my knees hearkening to +some old story so well remembered by me! or the milking of the +kine in the dewy summer even, when all was still but for the +voice of the water and the cries of the happy children, and there +round about me were the dear and beauteous maidens with whom I +had grown up, happy amidst all our troubles, since their life was +free and <a name="page144"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +144</span>they knew no guile. In such times my heart was at +peace indeed, and it seemed to me as if we had won all we needed; +as if war and turmoil were over, after they had brought about +peace and good days for our little folk.</p> +<p>‘And as for the days that be, are they not as that +rugged pass, full of bitter winds and the voice of hurrying +waters, that leadeth yonder to Silver-dale, as thou hast divined? +and there is nought good in it save that the breath of life is +therein, and that it leadeth to pleasant places and the peace and +plenty of the fair dale.’</p> +<p>‘Sweet friend,’ he said, ‘what thou sayest +is better than well: for time shall be, if we come alive out of +this pass of battle and bitter strife, when I shall lead thee +into Burgdale to dwell there. And thou wottest of our +people that there is little strife and grudging amongst them, and +that they are merry, and fair to look on, both men and women; and +no man there lacketh what the earth may give us, and it is a +saying amongst us that there may a man have that which he +desireth save the sun and moon in his hands to play with: and of +this gladness, which is made up of many little matters, what +story may be told? Yet amongst it shall I live and thou +with me; and ill indeed it were if it wearied thee and thou wert +ever longing for some day of victorious strife, and to behold me +coming back from battle high-raised on the shields of men and +crowned with bay; if thine ears must ever be tickled with the +talk of men and their songs concerning my warrior deeds. +For thus it shall not be. When I drive the herds it shall +be at the neighbours’ bidding whereso they will; not necks +of men shall I smite, but the stalks of the tall wheat, and the +boles of the timber-trees which the woodreeve hath marked for +felling; the stilts of the plough rather than the hilts of the +sword shall harden my hands; my shafts shall be for the deer, and +my spears for the wood-boar, till war and sorrow fall upon us, +and I fight for the ceasing of war and trouble. And though +I be called a chief and of the blood of chiefs, yet shall I not +be masterful to the goodman of the Dale, but rather to my hound; +for my chieftainship <a name="page145"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 145</span>shall be that I shall be well +beloved and trusted, and that no man shall grudge against +me. Canst thou learn to love such a life, which to me +seemeth lovely? And thou? of whom I say that thou art as if +thou wert come down from the golden chairs of the Burg of the +Gods.’</p> +<p>They were well-nigh out of the steep path by now, and the +daylight was bright about them; there she stayed her feet a +moment and turned to him and said:</p> +<p>‘All this should I love even now, if the grief of our +Folk were but healed, and hereafter shall I learn yet more of thy +well-beloved face.’</p> +<p>Therewith she laid her face to his and kissed him fondly, and +put his hand to her side and held it there, saying: ‘Soon +shall we be one in body and in soul.’</p> +<p>And he laughed with joy and pride of life, and took her hand +and led her on again, and said:</p> +<p>‘Yet feel the cold rings of my hauberk, my friend; look +at the spears that cumber my hand, and at Dale-warden hanging by +my side. Thou shalt yet see me as the Slain’s Chooser +would see her speech-friend; for there is much to do ere we win +wheat-harvest in Burgdale.’</p> +<p>Therewith they stepped together on to the level ground of the +waste, and saw Bow-may sitting on a stone hard by, and Wood-wise +standing beside her bending his bow. Bow-may smiled on +Gold-mane and rose up, and they all went on together, turning so +that they went nearly alongside the wall of the Vale, but +westering a little; then the Sun-beam said:</p> +<p>‘Many a time have I trodden this heath alongside our +rock-wall; for if ye wend a little further as our faces are +turned, ye come to the crags over the place where the Shivering +Flood goeth out of Shadowy Vale. There when ye have clomb a +little may’st thou stand on the edge of the rock-wall, and +look down and behold the Flood swirling and eddying in the black +gorge of the rocks, and see presently the reek of the force go +up, and hear the <a name="page146"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +146</span>thunder of the waters as they pour over it: and all +this about us now is as the garden of our house—is it not +so, Bow-may?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said she, ‘and there are goodly +cluster-berries to be gotten hereabout in the autumn; many a time +have the Sun-beam and I reddened our lips with them. Yet is +it best to be wary when war is abroad and hot withal.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said the Sun-beam, ‘and all this +place comes into the story of our House: lo! Gold-mane, two +score paces before us a little on our right hand those five grey +stones. They are called the Rocks of the Elders: for there +in the first days of our abiding in Shadowy Vale the Elders were +wont to come together to talk privily upon our +matters.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god looked thither as she spoke, but therewith saw +Bow-may, who went on the left hand of the Sun-beam, as +Face-of-god on her right hand, notch a shaft on her bent bow, and +Wood-wise, who was on his right hand, saw it also and did the +like, and therewithal Face-of-god got his target on to his arm, +and even as he did so Bow-may cried out suddenly:</p> +<p>‘Yea, yea! Cast thyself on to the ground, +Sun-beam! Gold-mane, targe and spear, targe and +spear! For I see steel gleaming yonder out from behind the +Elders’ Rocks.’</p> +<p>Scarce were the words out of her mouth ere three shafts came +flying, and the bow-strings twanged. Gold-mane felt that +one smote his helm and glanced from it. Therewithal he saw +the Sun-beam fall to earth, though he knew not if she had but +cast herself down as Bow-may bade. Bow-may’s string +twanged at once, and a yell came from the foemen: but Wood-wise +loosed not, but set his hand to his mouth and gave a loud wild +cry—Ha! ha! ha! ha! How-ow-ow!—ending in a long +and exceeding great whoop like nought but the wolf’s +howl. Now Gold-mane thinking swiftly, in a moment of time, +as war-meet men do, judged that if the Sun-beam were hurt (and +she had made no cry), it were yet wiser to fall on the foe before +turning to tend her, or else all might be lost; so he rushed +forward spear in hand and target on <a name="page147"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 147</span>arm, and saw, as he opened up the +flank of the Elders’ Rocks, six men, whereof one leaned +aback on the rock with Bow-may’s shaft in his shoulder, and +two others were just in act of loosing at him. In a moment, +as he rushed at them, one shaft went whistling by him, and the +other glanced from off his target; he cast a spear as he bounded +on, and saw it smite one of the shooters full in the naked face, +and saw the blood spout out and change his face and the man roll +over, and then in another moment four men were hewing at him with +their short steel axes. He thrust out his target against +them, and then let the weight of his body come on his other +spear, and drave it through the second shooter’s throat, +and even therewith was smitten on the helm so hard that, though +the Alderman’s work held out, he fell to his knees, holding +his target over his head and striving to draw forth Dale-warden; +in that nick of time a shaft whistled close by his ear, and as he +rose to his feet again he saw his foeman rolling over and over, +clutching at the ling with both hands. Then rang out again +the terrible wolf-whoop from Wood-wise’s mouth, and both he +and Bow-may loosed a shaft, for the two other foes had turned +their backs and were fleeing fast. Again Bow-may hit the +clout, and the Dusky Man fell dead at once, but Wood-wise’s +arrow flew over the felon’s shoulder as he ran. Then +in a trice was Gold-mane bounding after him like the hare just +roused from her form; for it came into his head that these felons +had beheld them coming up out of the Vale, and that if even this +one man escaped, he would bring his company down upon the +Vale-dwellers.</p> +<p>Strong and light-foot as any was Face-of-god, and though he +was cumbered with his hauberk, yet was Iron-face’s +handiwork far lighter than the war-coat of the Dusky Man, and the +race was soon over. The felon turned breathless to meet +Gold-mane, who drave his target against him and cast him to +earth, and as he strove to rise smote off his head at one stroke; +for Dale-warden was a good sword and the Dalesman as fierce of +mood as might be. There he let the felon lie, and, turning, +walked <a name="page148"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +148</span>back swiftly toward the Elders’ Rocks, and found +there Wood-wise and the dead foemen, for the carle had slain the +wounded, and he was now drawing the silver arm-rings off the +slain men; for all these Dusky Felons bore silver +arm-rings. But Bow-may was walking towards the Sun-beam, +and thitherward followed Gold-mane speedily.</p> +<p>He found her sitting on a tussock of grass close by where she +had fallen, her face pale, her eyes eager and gleaming; she +looked up at him as he drew nigher and said:</p> +<p>‘Friend, art thou hurt?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ he said, ‘and thou? Thou art +pale.’</p> +<p>‘I am not hurt,’ she said. Then she smiled +and said again:</p> +<p>‘Did I not tell thee that I am no warrior like Bow-may +here? Such deeds make maidens pale.’</p> +<p>Said Bow-may: ‘If ye will have the truth, Gold-mane, she +is not wont to grow pale when battle is nigh her. Look you, +she hath had the gift of a new delight, and findeth it sweeter +and softer than she had any thought of; and now hath she feared +lest it should be taken from her.’</p> +<p>‘Bow-may saith but the sooth,’ said the Sun-beam +simply, ‘and kind it is of her to say it. I saw thee, +Bow-may, and good was thy shooting, and I love thee for +it.’</p> +<p>Said Bow-may: ‘I never shoot otherwise than well. +But those idle shooters of the Dusky Ones, whereabouts nigh to +thee went their shafts?’</p> +<p>Said the Sun-beam: ‘One just lifted the hair by my left +ear, and that was not so ill-aimed; as for the other, it pierced +my raiment by my right knee, and pinned me to the earth, so that +I tottered and fell, and my gown and smock are grievously +wounded, both of them.’</p> +<p>And she took the folds of the garments in her hands to show +the rents therein; and her colour was come again, and she was +glad.</p> +<p>‘What were best to do now?’ she said.</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Let us tarry a little; for some of +thy <a name="page149"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +149</span>carles shall surely come up from the Vale: because they +will have heard Wood-wise’s whoop, since the wind sets that +way.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, they will come,’ said the Sun-beam.</p> +<p>‘Good is that,’ said Face-of-god; ‘for they +shall take the dead felons and cast them where they be not seen +if perchance any more stray hereby. For if they wind them, +they may well happen on the path down to the Vale. Also, my +friend, it were well if thou wert to bid a good few of the carles +that are in the Vale to keep watch and ward about here, lest +there be more foemen wandering about the waste.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘Thou art wise in war, Gold-mane; I will do as +thou biddest me. But soothly this is a perilous thing that +the Dusky Men are gotten so close to the Vale.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘This will Folk-might look to when he +cometh home; and it is most like that he will deem it good to +fall on them somewhere a good way aloof, so as to draw them off +from wandering over the waste. Also I will do my best to +busy them when I am home in Burgdale.’</p> +<p>Therewith came up Wood-wise, and fell to talk with them; and +his mind it was that these foemen were but a band of strayers, +and had had no inkling of Shadowy Vale till they had heard them +talking together as they came up the path from the Vale, and that +then they had made that ambush behind the Elders’ Rocks, so +that they might slay the men, and then bear off the woman. +He said withal that it would be best to carry their corpses +further on, so that they might be cast over the cliffs into the +fierce stream of the Shivering Flood.</p> +<p>Amidst this talk came up men from the Vale, a score of them, +well armed; and they ran to meet the wayfarers; and when they +heard what had befallen, they rejoiced exceedingly, and were +above all glad that Face-of-god had shown himself doughty and +deft; and they deemed his rede wise, to set a watch thereabouts +till Folk-might came home, and said that they would do even +so.</p> +<p>Then spake the Sun-beam and said:</p> +<p><a name="page150"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +150</span>‘Now must ye wayfarers depart; for the road is +but rough, and the day not over-long.’</p> +<p>Then she turned to Face-of-god and put her hand on his +shoulder, and brought her face close to his and spake to him +softly:</p> +<p>‘Doth this second parting seem at all strange to thee, +and that I am now so familiar to thee, I whom thou didst once +deem to be a very goddess? And now thou hast seen me redden +before thine eyes because of thee; and thou hast seen me grow +pale with fear because of thee; and thou hast felt my caresses +which I might not refrain; even as if I were altogether such a +maiden as ye warriors hang about for a nine days’ wonder, +and then all is over save an aching heart—wilt thou do so +with me? Tell me, have I not belittled myself before thee +as if I asked thee to scorn me? For thus desire dealeth +both with maid and man.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘In all this there is but one thing for me to +say, and that is that I love thee; and surely none the less, but +rather the more, because thou lovest me, and art of my kind, and +mayest share in my deeds and think well of them. Now is my +heart full of joy, and one thing only weigheth on it; and that is +that my kinswoman the Bride begrudgeth our love together. +For this is the thing that of all things most misliketh me, that +any should bear a grudge against me.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘Forget not the token, and my message to +her.’</p> +<p>‘I will not forget it,’ said he. ‘And +now I bid thee to kiss me even before all these that are looking +on; for there is nought to belittle us therein, since we be +troth-plight.’</p> +<p>And indeed those folk stood all round about them gazing on +them, but a little aloof, that they might not hear their words if +they were minded to talk privily. For they had long loved +the Sun-beam, and now the love of Face-of-god had begun to spring +up in their hearts.</p> +<p>So the twain embraced and kissed one another, and made no +haste thereover; and those men deemed that but meet and right, +and clashed their weapons on their shields in token of their +joy.</p> +<p><a name="page151"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 151</span>Then +Face-of-god turned about and strode out of the ring of men, with +Bow-may and Wood-wise beside him, and they went on their journey +over the necks towards Burgstead. But the Sun-beam turned +slowly from that place toward the Vale, and two of the stoutest +carles went along with her to guard her from harm, and she went +down into the Vale pondering all these things in her heart.</p> +<p>Then the other carles dragged off the corpses of the Dusky Men +till they had brought them to the sheer rocks above the Shivering +Flood, and there they tossed them over into the boiling caldron +of the force, and so departed taking with them the silver +arm-rings of the slain to add to the tale.</p> +<p>But when they came back into the Vale the Sun-beam duly +ordered that watch and ward to keep the ingate thereto, and note +all that should befall till Folk-might came home.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME TO +BURGSTEAD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> Face-of-god with Bow-may and +Wood-wise fared over the waste, going at first alongside the +cliffs of the Shivering Flood, and then afterwards turning +somewhat to the west. They soon had to climb a very high +and steep bent going up to a mountain-neck; and the way over the +neck was rough indeed when they were on it, and they toiled out +of it into a barren valley, and out of the valley again on to a +rough neck; and such-like their journey the day long, for they +were going athwart all those great dykes that went from the +ice-mountains toward the lower dales like the outspread fingers +of a hand or the roots of a great tree. And the +ice-mountains they had on their left hands and whiles at their +backs.</p> +<p>They went very warily, with their bows bended and spear in +hand, but saw no man, good or bad, and but few living +things. <a name="page152"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +152</span>At noon they rested in a valley where was a stream, but +no grass, nought but stones and sand; but where they were at +least sheltered from the wind, which was mostly very great in +these high wastes; and there Bow-may drew meat and wine from a +wallet she bore, and they ate and drank, and were merry enough; +and Bow-may said:</p> +<p>‘I would I were going all the way with thee, Gold-mane; +for I long sore to let my eyes rest a while on the land where I +shall one day live.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Face-of-god, ‘art thou minded to +dwell there? We shall be glad of that.’</p> +<p>‘Whither are thy wits straying?’ said she; +‘whether I am minded to it or not, I shall dwell +there.’</p> +<p>And Wood-wise nodded a yea to her. But Face-of-god +said:</p> +<p>‘Good will be thy dwelling; but wherefore must it be +so?’</p> +<p>Then Wood-wise laughed and said: ‘I shall tell thee in +fewer words than she will, and time presses now: Wood-father and +Wood-mother, and I and my two brethren and this woman have ever +been about and anigh the Sun-beam; and we deem that war and other +troubles have made us of closer kin to her than we were born, +whether ye call it brotherhood or what not, and never shall we +sunder from her in life or in death. So when thou goest to +Burgdale with her, there shall we be.’</p> +<p>Then was Face-of-god glad when he found that they deemed his +wedding so settled and sure; but Wood-wise fell to making ready +for the road. And Face-of-god said to him:</p> +<p>‘Tell me one thing, Wood-wise; that whoop that thou +gavest forth when we were at handy-strokes e’en +now—is it but a cry of thine own or is it of thy Folk, and +shall I hear it again?’</p> +<p>‘Thou may’st look to hear it many a time,’ +said Wood-wise, ‘for it is the cry of the Wolf. +Seldom indeed hath battle been joined where men of our blood are, +but that cry is given forth. Come now, to the +road!’</p> +<p>So they went their ways and the road worsened upon them, and +<a name="page153"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 153</span>toilsome +was the climbing up steep bents and the scaling of doubtful paths +in the cliff-sides, so that the journey, though the distance of +it were not so long to the fowl flying, was much eked out for +them, and it was not till near nightfall that they came on the +ghyll of the Weltering Water some six miles above +Burgstead. Forsooth Wood-wise said that the way might be +made less toilsome though far longer by turning back eastward a +little past the vale where they had rested at midday; and that +seemed good to Gold-mane, in case they should be wending +hereafter in a great company between Burgdale and Shadowy +Vale.</p> +<p>But now those two went with Face-of-god down a path in the +side of the cliff whereby him-seemed he had gone before; and they +came down into the ghyll and sat down together on a stone by the +water-side, and Face-of-god spake to them kindly, for he deemed +them good and trusty faring-fellows.</p> +<p>‘Bow-may,’ said he, ‘thou saidst a while ago +that thou wouldst be fain to look on Burgdale; and indeed it is +fair and lovely, and ye may soon be in it if ye will. Ye +shall both be more than welcome to the house of my father, and +heartily I bid you thither. For night is on us, and the way +back is long and toilsome and beset with peril. Sister +Bow-may, thou wottest that it would be a sore grief to me if thou +camest to any harm, and thou also, fellow Wood-wise. +Daylight is a good faring-fellow over the waste.’</p> +<p>Said Bow-may: ‘Thou art kind, Gold-mane, and that is thy +wont, I know; and fain were I to-night of the candles in thine +hall. But we may not tarry; for thou wottest how busy we be +at home; and Sun-beam needeth me, if it were only to make her +sure that no Dusky Man is bearing off thine head by its lovely +locks. Neither shall we journey in the mirk night; for look +you, the moon yonder.’</p> +<p>‘Well,’ said Face-of-god, ‘parting is ill at +the best, and I would I could give you twain a gift, and +especially to thee, my sister Bow-may.’</p> +<p>Said Wood-wise: ‘Thou may’st well do that; or at +least promise the gift; and that is all one as if we held it in +our hands.’</p> +<p><a name="page154"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +154</span>‘Yea,’ said Bow-may, ‘Wood-wise and I +have been thinking in one way belike; and I was at point to ask a +gift of thee.’</p> +<p>‘What is it?’ said Gold-mane. ‘Surely +it is thine, if it were but a guerdon for thy good +shooting.’</p> +<p>She laughed and handled the skirts of his hauberk as she +said:</p> +<p>‘Show us the dint in thine helm that the steel axe made +this morning.’</p> +<p>‘There is no such great dint,’ said he; ‘my +father forged that helm, and his work is better than +good.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Bow-may, ‘and might I have +hauberk and helm of his handiwork, and Wood-wise a good sword of +the same, then were I a glad woman, and this man a happy +carle.’</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘I am well pleased at thine asking, and +so shall Iron-face be when he heareth of thine archery; and how +that Hall-face were now his only son but for thy close +shooting. But now must I to the way; for my heart tells me +that there may have been tidings in Burgstead this while I have +been aloof.’</p> +<p>So they rose all three, and Bow-may said:</p> +<p>‘Thou art a kind brother, and soon shall we meet again; +and that will be well.’</p> +<p>Then he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed both her +cheeks; and he kissed Wood-wise, and turned and went his ways, +threading the stony tangle about the Weltering Water, which was +now at middle height, and running clear and strong; so turning +once he beheld Wood-wise and Bow-may climbing the path up the +side of the ghyll, and Bow-may turned to him also and waved her +bow as token of farewell. Then he went upon his way, which +was rough enough to follow by night, though the moon was shining +brightly high aloft. Yet as he knew his road he made but +little of it all, and in somewhat more than an hour and a half +was come out of the pass into the broken ground at the head of +the Dale, and began to make his way speedily under the bright +moonlight toward the Gate, still going close by the water. +But as he went he heard of a sudden cries and rumour not far from +him, <a name="page155"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +155</span>unwonted in that place, where none dwelt, and where the +only folk he might look to see were those who cast an angle into +the pools and eddies of the Water. Moreover, he saw about +the place whence came the cries torches moving swiftly hither and +thither; so that he looked to hear of new tidings, and stayed his +feet and looked keenly about him on every side; and just then, +between his rough path and the shimmer of the dancing moonlit +water, he saw the moon smite on something gleaming; so, as +quietly as he could, he got his target on his arm, and shortened +his spear in his right hand, and then turned sharply toward that +gleam. Even therewith up sprang a man on his right hand, +and then another in front of him just betwixt him and the water; +an axe gleamed bright in the moon, and he caught a great stroke +on his target, and therewith drave his left shoulder straight +forward, so that the man before him fell over into the water with +a mighty splash; for they were at the very edge of the deepest +eddy of the Water. Then he spun round on his heel, heeding +not that another stroke had fallen on his right shoulder, yet +ill-aimed, and not with the full edge, so that it ran down his +byrny and rent it not. So he sent the thrust of his spear +crashing through the face and skull of the smiter, and looked not +to him as he fell, but stood still, brandishing his spear and +crying out, ‘For the Burg and the Face! For the Burg +and the Face!’</p> +<p>No other foe came against him, but like to the echo of his cry +rose a clear shout not far aloof, ‘For the Face, for the +Face! For the Burg and the Face!’ He muttered, +‘So ends the day as it begun,’ and shouted loud +again, ‘For the Burg and the Face!’ And in a +minute more came breaking forth from the stone-heaps into the +moonlit space before the water the tall shapes of the men of +Burgstead, the red torchlight and the moonlight flashing back +from their war-gear and weapons; for every man had his sword or +spear in hand.</p> +<p>Hall-face was the first of them, and he threw his arms about +his brother and said: ‘Well met, Gold-mane, though thou +comest <a name="page156"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +156</span>amongst us like Stone-fist of the Mountain. Art +thou hurt? With whom hast thou dealt? Where be +they? Whence comest thou?’</p> +<p>‘Nay, I am not hurt,’ said Face-of-god. +‘Stint thy questions then, till thou hast told me whom thou +seekest with spear and sword and candle.’</p> +<p>‘Two felons were they,’ said Hall-face, +‘even such as ye saw lying dead at Wood-grey’s the +other day.’</p> +<p>‘Then may ye sheathe your swords and go home,’ +said Gold-mane, ‘for one lieth at the bottom of the eddy, +and the other, thy feet are well-nigh treading on him, +Hall-face.’</p> +<p>Then arose a rumour of praise and victory, and they brought +the torches nigh and looked at the fallen man, and found that he +was stark dead; so they even let him lie there till the morrow, +and all turned about toward the Thorp; and many looked on +Face-of-god and wondered concerning him, whence he was and what +had befallen him. Indeed, they would have asked him +thereof, but could not get at him to ask; but whoso could, went +as nigh to Hall-face and him as they might, to hearken to the +talk between the brothers.</p> +<p>So as they went along Hall-face did verily ask him whence he +came: ‘For was it not so,’ said he, ‘that thou +didst enter into the wood seeking some adventure early in the +morning the day before yesterday?’</p> +<p>‘Sooth is that,’ said Face-of-god, ‘and I +came to Shadowy Vale, and thence am I come this +morning.’</p> +<p>Said Hall-face: ‘I know not Shadowy Vale, nor doth any +of us. This is a new word. How say ye, friends, doth +any man here know of Shadowy Vale?’</p> +<p>They all said, ‘Nay.’</p> +<p>Then said Hall-face: ‘Hast thou been amongst mere ghosts +and marvels, brother, or cometh this tale of thy +minstrelsy?’</p> +<p>‘For all your words,’ said Gold-mane, ‘to +that Vale have I been; and, to speak shortly (for I desire to +have your tale, and am waiting for it), I will tell thee that I +found there no marvels <a name="page157"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 157</span>or strange wights, but a folk of +valiant men; a folk small in numbers, but great of heart; a folk +come, as we be, from the Fathers and the Gods. And this, +moreover, is to be said of them, that they are the foes of these +felons of whom ye were chasing these twain. And these same +Dusky Men of Silver-dale would slay them every man if they might; +and if we look not to it they will soon be doing the same by us; +for they are many, and as venomous as adders, as fierce as bears, +and as foul as swine. But these valiant men, who bear on +their banner the image of the Wolf, should be our fellows in +arms, and they have good will thereto; and they shall show us the +way to Silver-dale by blind paths, so that we may fall upon these +felons while they dwell there tormenting the poor people of the +land, and thus may we destroy them as lads a hornet’s +nest. Or else the days shall be hard for us.’</p> +<p>The men who hung about them drank in his words greedily. +But Hall-face was silent a little while, and then he said: +‘Brother Gold-mane, these be great tidings. Time was +when we might have deemed them but a minstrel’s tale; for +Silver-dale we know not, of which thou speakest so glibly, nor +the Dusky Men, any more than the Shadowy Vale. Howbeit, +things have befallen these two last days so strange and new, that +putting them together with the murder at Wood-grey’s, and +thy words which seem somewhat wild, it may well seem to us that +tidings unlooked for are coming our way.’</p> +<p>‘Come, then,’ said Face-of-god, ‘give me +what thou hast in thy scrip, and trust me, I shall not jeer at +thy tale.’</p> +<p>Said Hall-face: ‘I also will be short with the tale; and +that the more, as meseemeth it is not yet done, and that thou +thyself shalt share in the ending of it. It was the day +before yesterday, that is the day when thou departedst into the +woods on that adventure whereof thou shalt one day tell me more, +wilt thou not?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, in good time,’ said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>‘Well,’ quoth Hall-face, ‘we went into the +woods that day and in the morning, but after sunrise, to the +number of a score: <a name="page158"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +158</span>we looked to meet a bear and a she-bear with cubs in a +certain place; for one of the Woodlanders, a keen hunter, had +told us of their lair. Also we were wishful to slay some of +the wild-swine, the yearlings, if we might. Therefore, +though we had no helms or shields or coats of fence, we had +bowshot a plenty, and good store of casting-weapons, besides our +wood-knives and an axe or so; and some of us, of whom I was one, +bore our battle-swords, as we are wont ever to do, be the foe +beast or man.</p> +<p>‘Thus armed we went up Wildlake’s Way and came to +Carlstead, where half-a-score Woodlanders joined themselves to +us, so that we became a band. We went up the half-cleared +places past Carlstead for a mile, and then turned east into the +wood, and went I know not how far, for the Woodlanders led us by +crooked paths, but two hours wore away in our going, till we came +to the place where they looked to find the bears. It is a +place that may well be noted, for it is unlike the wood round +about. There is a close thicket some two furlongs about of +thorn and briar and ill-grown ash and oak and other trees, +planted by the birds belike; and it stands as it were in an +island amidst of a wide-spreading woodlawn of fine turf, set +about in the most goodly fashion with great tall straight-boled +oak-trees, that seem to have been planted of set purpose by +man’s hand. Yea, dost thou know the place?’</p> +<p>‘Methinks I do,’ said Gold-mane, ‘and I seem +to have heard the Woodlanders give it a name and call it +Boars-bait.’</p> +<p>‘That may be,’ said Hall-face. ‘Well, +there we were, the dogs and the men, and we drew nigh the thicket +and beset it, and doubted not to find prey therein: but when we +would set the dogs at the thicket to enter it, they were uneasy, +and would not take up the slot, but growled and turned about this +way and that, so that we deemed that they winded some fierce +beast at our flanks or backs.</p> +<p>‘Even so it was, and fierce enough and deadly was the +beast; for suddenly we heard bow-strings twang, and shafts came +flying; and Iron-shield of the Upper Dale, who was close beside +me, leapt <a name="page159"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +159</span>up into the air and fell down dead with an arrow +through his back. Then I bethought me in the twinkling of +an eye, and I cried out, “The foe are on us! take the cover +of the tree-boles and be wary! For the Burg and the +Face! For the Burg and the Face!”</p> +<p>‘So we scattered and covered ourselves with the +oak-boles, but besides Iron-shield, who was slain outright, two +goodmen were sorely hurt, to wit Bald-face, a man of our house, +and Stonyford of the Lower Dale.</p> +<p>‘I looked from behind my tree-bole, a great one; and far +off down the glades I saw men moving, clad in gay raiment; but +nearer to me, not a hundred yards from my cover, I saw an arm +clad in scarlet come out from behind a tree-bole, so I loosed at +it, and missed not; for straight there tottered out from behind +the tree one of those dusky foul-favoured men like to those that +were slain by Wood-grey. I had another shaft ready notched, +so I loosed and set the shaft in his throat, and he fell.</p> +<p>‘Straightway was a yelling and howling about us like the +cries of scalded curs, and the oak-wood swarmed thick with these +felons rushing on us; for it seems that the man whom I had slain +was a chief amongst them, or we judged so by his goodly +raiment.</p> +<p>‘Methought then our last day was come. What could +we do but run together again after we had loosed at a venture, +and so withstand them sword and spear in hand? Some fell +beneath our shot, but not many, for they came on very +swiftly.</p> +<p>‘So they fell on us; but for all their fierceness and +their numbers they might not break our array, and we slew four +and hurt many by sword-hewing and spear-casting and push of +spear; and five of us were hurt and one slain by their +dart-casting. So they drew off from us a little, and strove +to spread out and fall to shooting at us again; but this we would +not suffer, but pushed on as they fell back, keeping as close +together as we might for the trees. For we said that we +would all die together if needs must; and verily the stour was +hard.</p> +<p>‘Yet hearken! In that nick of time rose up a +strange cry not <a name="page160"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +160</span>far from us, Ha! ha! ha! ha! How-ow-ow! ending +like the howl of a wolf, and then another and another and +another, till the whole wood rang again.</p> +<p>‘At first we deemed that here were come fresh foemen, +and that we were undone indeed; but when they heard it, the +foe-men before us faltered and gave way, and at last turned their +backs and fled, and we followed, keeping well together still: +thereby the more part of these men escaped us, for they fled +wildly here and there from those who bore that cry with them; so +we knew that our work was being done for us; therefore we stood, +and saw tall men clad in sheep-brown weed running through the +glades pursuing those felons and smiting them down, till both +fleers and pursuers passed out of our sight like men in a dream, +or as when ye roll up a pictured cloth to lay it in the +coffer.</p> +<p>‘But to Stone-face’s mind those brown-clad men +were the Wights of the Wood that be of the Fathers’ blood, +and our very friends; and when some of us would yet have gone +forward and foregathered with them, and followed the chase along +with them, Stone-face gainsaid it, bidding us not to run into the +arms of a second death, when we had but just escaped from the +first. Sooth to say, moreover, we had divers hurt men that +needed looking to.</p> +<p>‘So what with one thing, what with another, we turned +back: but War-cliff’s brother, a tall man, had felled two +of those felons with an oak sapling which he had torn from the +thicket; but he had not slain them, and by now they were just +awakening from their swoon, and were sitting up looking round +them with fierce rolling eyes, expecting the stroke, for Raven of +Longscree was standing over them with a naked war-sword in his +hand. But now that our blood was cool, we were loth to slay +them as they lay in our hands; so we bound them and brought them +away with us; and our own dead we carried also on such biers as +we might lightly make there, and with them three that were so +grievously hurt that they might not go afoot, these we left at +Carlstead: they were Tardy the Son of the Untamed, and Swan of +Bull-meadow, <a name="page161"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +161</span>both of the Lower Dale, and a Woodlander, Undoomed to +wit. But the dead were Iron-shield aforesaid, and +Wool-sark, and the Hewer, a Woodlander.</p> +<p>‘So came we sadly at eventide to Burgstead with the two +dead Burgdalers, and the captive felons, and the wounded of us +that might go afoot; and ye may judge that they of Burgdale and +our father deemed these tidings great enough, and wotted not what +next should befall. Stone-face would have had those two +felons slain there and then; for no true tale could we get out of +them, nor indeed any word at all. But the Alderman would +not have it so; and he deemed they might serve our turn as +hostages if any of our folk should be taken: for one and all we +deemed, and still deem, that war is on us and that new folk have +gathered on our skirts.</p> +<p>‘So the captives were shut up in the red out-bower of +our house; and our father was minded that thou mightest tell us +somewhat of them when thou wert come home. But about dusk +to-day the word went that they had broken out and gotten them +weapons and fled up the Dale; and so it was.</p> +<p>‘But to-morrow morning will a Gate-thing be holden, and +there it will be looked for of thee that thou tell us a true tale +of thy goings. For it is deemed, and it is my deeming +especially, that thou may’st tell us more of these men than +thou hast yet told us. Is it not so?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, surely,’ said Gold-mane, ‘I can make +as many words as ye will about it; yet when all is said, it will +come to much the same tale as I have already told thee. Yet +belike, if ye are minded to take up the sword to defend you, I +may tell you in what wise to lay hold on the hilts.’</p> +<p>‘And that is well,’ said Hall-face, ‘and no +less do I look for of thee. But lo! here are we come to the +Gate of the Burg that abideth battle.’</p> +<h2><a name="page162"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +162</span>CHAPTER XXIII. TALK IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF +THE FACE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> sooth they were come to the very +Gate of Burgstead, and the great gates were shut, and only a +wicket was open, and a half score of stout men in all their +war-gear were holding ward thereby. They gave place to +Hall-face and his company, albeit some of the warders followed +them through the wicket that they might hear the story told.</p> +<p>The street was full of folk, both men and women, talking +together eagerly concerning all these tidings, and when they saw +the men of the Hue-and-cry they came thronging about them, so +that they might scarce get to the door of the House of the Face +because of the press; so Hall-face (who was a very tall man) +cried out:</p> +<p>‘Good people, all is well! the runaways are slain, and +Face-of-god is come back with us; give place a little, that we +may come into our house.’</p> +<p>Then the throng set up a shout, and made way a little, so that +Hall-face and Gold-mane and the others could get to the +door. And they entered into the Hall, and saw much folk +therein; and men were sitting at table, for supper was not yet +over. But when they saw the new-comers they mostly rose up +from the board and stood silent to hear the tale, for they had +been talking many together each to each, so that the Hall was +full of confused noise.</p> +<p>So Hall-face again cried out: ‘Men in this hall, good is +the tidings. The runaways are slain; and it was Face-of-god +who slew them as he came back safe from the waste.’</p> +<p>Then they shouted for joy, and the brethren and Stone-face +with them (for he had entered with them from the street) went up +on to the daïs, while the others of the Hue-and-cry gat them +seats where they might at the endlong tables.</p> +<p>But when Face-of-god came up on to the daïs, there sat +Iron-face looking down on the thronged Hall with a ruddy cheerful +countenance, <a name="page163"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +163</span>and beside him sat the Bride; for he had caused her to +be brought thither when he had heard of the tidings of +battle. She was daintily clad in a flame-coloured kirtle +embroidered with gold about the bosom and sleeves, and there was +a fillet of golden roses on her ruddy hair. Her eyes shone +bright and eager, and the pommels of her cheeks were flushed and +red contrary to their wont. Needs must Gold-mane sit by +her, and when he came close to her he knew not what to do, but he +put forth his hand to her, yet with a troubled countenance; for +he feared her grief mingled with her beauty: as for her, she +wavered in her mind whether she should forbear to touch him or +not; but she saw that men about were looking at them, and +especially was Iron-face looking on her: therefore she stood up +and took Gold-mane’s hand and kissed his face as she had +been wont to do, and by then was her face as white as paper; and +her anguish pierced his heart, so that he well-nigh groaned for +grief of her. But Iron-face looked on her and said +kindly:</p> +<p>‘Kinswoman, thou art pale; thou hast feared for thy mate +amidst all these tidings of war, and still fearest for him. +But pluck up a heart; for the man is a deft warrior for all his +fair face, which thou lovest as a woman should, and his hands may +yet save his head. And if he be slain, yet are there other +men of the kindred, and the earth will not be a desert to thee +even then.’</p> +<p>She looked at Iron-face, and the colour was come back to her +face somewhat, and she said:</p> +<p>‘It is true; I have feared for him; for he goeth into +perilous places. But for thee, thou art kind, and I thank +thee for it.’</p> +<p>And therewith she kissed Iron-face and sat down in her place, +and strove to overmaster her grief, that her face might not be +changed by it; for now were thoughts of battle, and valiant hopes +arising in men’s hearts; and it seemed to her too grievous +if she should mar that feast on the eve of battle.</p> +<p>But Iron-face kissed and embraced his son and said: ‘Art +thou late come from the waste? Hast thou seen new +things? <a name="page164"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +164</span>We look to have a notable tale from thee; though here +also have been tidings, and it is not unlike that we shall +presently have new work on our hands.’</p> +<p>‘Father,’ quoth Face-of-god, ‘I deem that +when thou hast heard my tale thou wilt think no less of it than +that there are valiant folk to be holpen, poor folk to be +delivered, and evil folk to be swept from off the face of the +earth.’</p> +<p>‘It is well, son,’ said Iron-face. ‘I +see that thy tale is long; let it alone for to-night. +To-morrow shall we hold a Gate-thing, and then shall we hear all +that thou hast to tell. Now eat thy meat and drink a bowl +of wine, and comfort thy troth-plight maiden.’</p> +<p>So Gold-mane sat down by the Bride, and ate and drank as he +needs must; but he was ill at ease and he durst not speak to +her. For, on the one hand, he thought concerning his love +for the Sun-beam, and how sweet and good a thing it was that she +should take him by the hand and lead him into noble deeds and +great fame, caressing him so softly and sweetly the while; and, +on the other hand, there sat the Bride beside him, sorrowful and +angry, begrudging all that sweetness of love, as though it were +something foul and unseemly; and heavy on him lay the weight of +that grudge, for he was a man of a friendly heart.</p> +<p>Stone-face sat outward from him on the other side of the +Bride; and he leaned across her towards Gold-mane and said:</p> +<p>‘Fair shall be thy tale to-morrow, if thou tellest us +all thine adventure. Or wilt thou tell us less than +all?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘In good time shalt thou know it all, +foster-father; but it is not unlike that by the time that thou +hast heard it, there shall be so many other things to tell of, +that my tale shall seem of little account to thee—even as +the saw saith that one nail driveth out the other.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Stone-face, ‘but one tale belike +shall be knit up with the others, as it fareth with the figures +that come one after other on the weaver’s cloth; though one +maketh not the other, yet one cometh of the other.’</p> +<p><a name="page165"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 165</span>Said +Face-of-god: ‘Wise art thou now, foster-father, but thou +shalt be wiser yet in this matter by then a month hath worn: and +to-morrow shalt thou know enough to set thine hands +a-work.’</p> +<p>So the talk fell between them; and the night wore, and the men +of Burgdale feasted in their ancient hall with merry hearts, +little weighed down by thought of the battle that might be and +the trouble to come; for they were valorous and kindly folk.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV. FACE-OF-GOD GIVETH THAT TOKEN TO THE +BRIDE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> on the morrow, when Face-of-god +arose and other men with him, and the Hall was astir and there +was no little throng therein, the Bride came up to him; for she +had slept in the House of the Face by the bidding of the +Alderman; and she spake to him before all men, and bade him come +forth with her into the garden, because she would speak to him +apart. He yeasaid her, though with a heavy heart; and to +the folk about that seemed meet and due, since those twain were +deemed to be troth-plight, and they smiled kindly on them as they +went out of the Hall together.</p> +<p>So they came into the garden, where the pear-trees were +blossoming over the spring lilies, and the cherries were +showering their flowers on the deep green grass, and everything +smelled sweetly on the warm windless spring morning.</p> +<p>She led the way, going before him till they came by a smooth +grass path between the berry bushes, to a square space of grass +about which were barberry trees, their first tender leaves bright +green in the sun against the dry yellowish twigs. There was +a sundial amidmost of the grass, and betwixt the garden-boughs +one could see the long grey roof of the ancient hall; and sweet +familiar sounds of the nesting birds and men and women going on +their errands were all about in the scented air. She turned +<a name="page166"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 166</span>about at +the sundial and faced Face-of-god, her hand lightly laid on the +scored brass, and spake with no anger in her voice:</p> +<p>‘I ask thee if thou hast brought me the token whereon +thou shalt swear to give me that gift.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said he; and therewith drew the ring from +his bosom, and held it out to her. She reached out her hand +to him slowly and took it, and their fingers met as she did so, +and he noted that her hand was warm and firm and wholesome as he +well remembered it.</p> +<p>She said: ‘Whence hadst thou this fair +finger-ring?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘My friend there in the +mountain-valley drew it from off her finger for thee, and bade me +bear thee a message.’</p> +<p>Her face flushed red: ‘Yea,’ she said, ‘and +doth she send me a message? Then doth she know of me, and +ye have talked of me together. Well, give the +message!’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘She saith, that thou shalt bear in +mind, That to-morrow is a new day.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘for her it is so, and for +thee; but not for me. But now I have brought thee here that +thou mightest swear thine oath to me; lay thine hand on this ring +and on this brazen plate whereby the sun measures the hours of +the day for happy folk, and swear by the spring-tide of the year +and all glad things that find a mate, and by the God of the Earth +that rejoiceth in the life of man.’</p> +<p>Then he laid his hand on the finger-ring as it lay on the +dial-plate and said:</p> +<p>‘By the spring-tide and the live things that long to +multiply their kind; by the God of the Earth that rejoiceth in +the life of man, I swear to give to my kinswoman the Bride the +second man-child that I beget; to be hers, to leave or cherish, +to love or hate, as her will may bid her.’ Then he +looked on her soberly and said: ‘It is duly sworn; is it +enough?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said; but he saw how the tears ran out +of her eyes and wetted the bosom of her kirtle, and she hung her +head for <a name="page167"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +167</span>shame of her grief. And Gold-mane was all +abashed, and had no word to say; for he knew that no word of his +might comfort her; and he deemed it ill done to stay there and +behold her sorrow; and he knew not how to get him gone, and be +glad elsewhere, and leave her alone.</p> +<p>Then, as if she had read his thought, she looked up at him and +said smiling a little amidst of her tears:</p> +<p>‘I bid thee stay by me till the flood is over; for I +have yet a word to say to thee.’</p> +<p>So he stood there gazing down on the grass in his turn, and +not daring to raise his eyes to her face, and the minutes seemed +long to him: till at last she said in a voice scarcely yet clear +of weeping:</p> +<p>‘Wilt thou say anything to me, and tell me what thou +hast done, and why, and what thou deemest will come of +it?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘I will tell the truth as I know it, because +thou askest it of me, and not because I would excuse myself +before thee. What have I done? Yesterday I plighted +my troth to wed the woman that I met last autumn in the +wood. And why? I wot not why, but that I longed for +her. Yet I must tell thee that it seemed to me, and yet +seemeth, that I might do no otherwise—that there was +nothing else in the world for me to do. What do I deem will +come of it, sayest thou? This, that we shall be happy +together, she and I, till the day of our death.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘And even so long shall I be sorry: so far are +we sundered now. Alas! who looked for it? And whither +shall I turn to now?’</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘She bade me tell thee that to-morrow is +a new day: meseemeth I know her meaning.’</p> +<p>‘No word of hers hath any meaning to me,’ said the +Bride.</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said he, ‘but hast thou not heard +these rumours of war that are in the Dale? Shall not these +things avail thee? Much may grow out of them; and thou with +the mighty heart, so faithful and compassionate!’</p> +<p><a name="page168"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 168</span>She +said: ‘What sayest thou? What may grow out of +them? Yea, I have heard those rumours as a man sick to +death heareth men talk of their business down in the street while +he lieth on his bed; and already he hath done with it all, and +hath no world to mend or mar. For me nought shall grow out +of it. What meanest thou?’</p> +<p>Said Gold-mane: ‘Is there nought in the fellowship of +Folks, and the aiding of the valiant, and the deliverance of the +hapless?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, ‘there is nought to +me. I cannot think of it to-day nor yet to-morrow +belike. Yet true it is that I may mingle in it, though +thinking nought of it. But this shall not avail +me.’</p> +<p>She was silent a little, but presently spake and said: +‘Thou sayest right; it is not thou that hast done this, but +the woman who sent me the ring and the message of an old +saw. O that she should be born to sunder us! How hath +it befallen that I am now so little to thee and she so +much?’</p> +<p>And again she was silent; and after a while Face-of-god spake +kindly and softly and said: ‘Kinswoman, wilt thou for ever +begrudge our love? this grudge lieth heavy on my soul, and it is +I alone that have to bear it.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘This is but a light burden for thee to bear, +when thou hast nought else to bear! But do I begrudge thee +thy love, Gold-mane? I know not that. Rather +meseemeth I do not believe in it—nor shall do +ever.’</p> +<p>Then she held her peace a long while, nor did he speak one +word: and they were so still, that a robin came hopping about +them, close to the hem of her kirtle, and a starling pitched in +the apple-tree hard by and whistled and chuckled, turning about +and about, heeding them nought. Then at last she lifted up +her face from looking on the grass and said: ‘These are +idle words and avail nothing: one thing only I know, that we are +sundered. And now it repenteth me that I have shown thee my +tears and my grief and my sickness of the earth and those that +dwell thereon. I am ashamed of it, as if thou hadst smitten +me, and I had come and <a name="page169"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 169</span>shown thee the stripes, and said, +See what thou hast done! hast thou no pity? Yea, thou +pitiest me, and wilt try to forget thy pity. Belike thou +art right when thou sayest, To-morrow is a new day; belike +matters will arise that will call me back to life, and I shall +once more take heed of the joy and sorrow of my people. +Nay, it is most like that this I shall feign to do even +now. But if to-morrow be a new day, it is to-day now and +not to-morrow, and so shall it be for long. Hereof belike +we shall talk no more, thou and I. For as the days wear, +the dealings between us shall be that thou shalt but get thee +away from my life, and I shall be nought to thee but the name of +a kinswoman. Thus should it be even wert thou to strive to +make it otherwise; and thou shalt <i>not</i> strive. So let +all this be; for this is not the word I had to say to thee. +But hearken! now are we sundered, and it irketh me beyond measure +that folk know it not, and are kind, and rejoice in our love, and +deem it a happy thing for the folk; and this burden I may bear no +longer. So I shall declare unto men that I will not wed +thee; and belike they may wonder why it is, till they see thee +wedded to the Woman of the Mountain. Art thou content that +so it shall be?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Nay, thou shalt not take this all +upon thyself; I also shall declare unto the Folk that I will wed +none but her, the Mountain-Woman.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘This shalt thou not do; I forbid it +thee. And I <i>will</i> take it all upon myself. +Shall I have it said of me that I am unmeet to wed thee, and that +thou hast found me out at last and at latest? I lay this +upon thee, that wheresoever I declare this and whatsoever I may +say, thou shalt hold thy peace. This at least thou +may’st do for me. Wilt thou?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ he said, ‘though it shall put me to +shame.’</p> +<p>Again she was silent for a little; then she said:</p> +<p>‘O Gold-mane, this would I take upon myself not soothly +for any shame of seeming to be thy cast-off; but because it is I +who needs must bear all the sorrow of our sundering; and I have +the <a name="page170"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 170</span>will +to bear it greater and heavier, that I may be as the women of old +time, and they that have come from the Gods, lest I belittle my +life with malice and spite and confusion, and it become poisonous +to me. Be at peace! be at peace! And leave all to the +wearing of the years; and forget not that which thou hast +sworn!’</p> +<p>Therewith she turned and went from that green place toward the +House of the Face, walking slowly through the garden amongst the +sweet odours, beneath the fair blossoms, a body most dainty and +beauteous of fashion, but the casket of grievous sorrow, which +all that goodliness availed not.</p> +<p>But Face-of-god lingered in that place a little, and for that +little while the joy of his life was dulled and overworn; and the +days before his wandering on the mountain seemed to him free and +careless and happy days that he could not but regret. He +was ashamed, moreover, that this so unquenchable grief should +come but of him, and the pleasure of his life, which he himself +had found out for himself, and which was but such a little +portion of the Earth and the deeds thereof. But presently +his thought wandered from all this, and as he turned away from +the sundial and went his ways through the garden, he called to +mind his longing for the day of the spring market, when he should +see the Sun-beam again and be cherished by the sweetness of her +love.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV. OF THE GATE-THING AT BURGSTEAD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> now must he hasten, for the +Gate-thing was to be holden two hours before noon; so he betook +him speedily to the Hall, and took his shield and did on a goodly +helm and girt his sword to his side, for men must needs go to all +folk-motes with their weapons and clad in war-gear. Thus he +went forth to the Gate with many others, and there already were +many folk assembled in the space aforesaid betwixt the Gate of +the Burg and the sheer rocks on the face of which were the steps +that led <a name="page171"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +171</span>up to the ancient Tower on the height. The +Alderman was sitting on the great stone by the Gate-side which +was his appointed place, and beside him on the stone bench were +the six Wardens of the Burg; but of the six Wardens of the Dale +there were but three, for the others had not yet heard tell of +the battle or had got the summons to the Thing, since they had +been about their business down the Dale.</p> +<p>Face-of-god took his place silently amongst the neighbours, +but men made way for him, so that he must needs stand in front, +facing his father and the Wardens; and there went up a murmur of +expectation round about him, both because the word had gone about +that he had a tale of new tidings to tell, and also because men +deemed him their best and handiest man, though he was yet so +young.</p> +<p>Now the Alderman looked around and beheld a great throng +gathered together, and he looked on the shadow of the Gate which +the southering sun was casting on the hard white ground of the +Thing-stead, and he saw that it had just taken in the +standing-stone which was in the midst of the place. On the +face of the said stone was carven the image of a fighting man +with shield on arm and axe in hand; for it had been set there in +old time in memory of the man who had bidden the Folk build the +Gate and its wall, and had showed them how to fashion it: for he +was a deft house-smith as well as a great warrior; and his name +was Iron-hand. So when the Alderman saw that this stone was +wholly within the shadow of the Gate he knew that it was the due +time for the hallowing-in of the Thing. So he bade one of +the wardens who sat beside him and had a great slug-horn slung +about him, to rise and set the horn to his mouth.</p> +<p>So that man arose and blew three great blasts that went +bellowing about the towers and down the street, and beat back +again from the face of the sheer rocks and up them and over into +the wild-wood; and the sound of it went on the light west-wind +along the lips of the Dale toward the mountain wastes. And +many a <a name="page172"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +172</span>goodman, when he heard the voice of the horn in the +bright spring morning, left spade or axe or plough-stilts, or the +foddering of the ewes and their younglings, and turned back home +to fetch his sword and helm and hasten to the Thing, though he +knew not why it was summoned: and women wending over the meadows, +who had not yet heard of the battle in the wood, hearkened and +stood still on the green grass or amidst the ripples of the ford, +and the threat of coming trouble smote heavy on their hearts, for +they knew that great tidings must be towards if a Thing must +needs be summoned so close to the Great Folk-mote.</p> +<p>But now the Alderman stood up and spake amidst the silence +that followed the last echoes of the horn:</p> +<p>‘Now is hallowed in this Gate-thing of the Burgstead Men +and the Men of the Dale, wherein they shall take counsel +concerning matters late befallen, that press hard upon +them. Let no man break the peace of the Holy Thing, lest he +become a man accursed in holy places from the plain up to the +mountain, and from the mountain down to the plain; a man not to +be cherished of any man of good will, not be holpen with victuals +or edge-tool or draught-beast; a man to be sheltered under no +roof-tree, and warmed at no hearth of man: so help us the Warrior +and the God of the Earth, and Him of the Face, and all the +Fathers!’</p> +<p>When he had spoken men clashed their weapons in token of +assent; and he sat down again, and there was silence for a +space. But presently came thrusting forward a goodman of +the Dale, who seemed as if he had come hurriedly to the Thing; +for his face was running down with sweat, his wide-rimmed iron +cap sat awry over his brow, and he was girt with a rusty sword +without a scabbard, and the girdle was ill-braced up about his +loins. So he said:</p> +<p>‘I am Red-coat of Waterless of the Lower Dale. +Early this morning as I was going afield I met on the way a man +akin to me, Fox of Upton to wit, and he told me that men were +being summoned to a Gate-thing. So I turned back home, and +caught up <a name="page173"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +173</span>any weapon that came handy, and here I am, Alderman, +asking thee of the tidings which hath driven thee to call this +Thing so hard on the Great Folk-mote, for I know them nothing +so.’</p> +<p>Then stood up Iron-face the Alderman and said: ‘This is +well asked, and soon shall ye be as wise as I am on this +matter. Know ye, O men of Burgstead and the Dale, that we +had not called this Gate-thing so hard on the Great Folk-mote had +not great need been to look into troublous matters. Long +have ye dwelt in peace, and it is years on years now since any +foeman hath fallen on the Dale: but, as ye will bear in mind, +last autumn were there ransackings in the Dale and amidst of the +Shepherds after the manner of deeds of war; and it troubleth us +that none can say who wrought these ill deeds. Next, but a +little while agone, was Wood-grey, a valiant goodman of the +Woodlanders, slain close to his own door by evil men. These +men we took at first for mere gangrel felons and outcasts from +their own folk: though there were some who spoke against that +from the beginning.</p> +<p>‘But thirdly are new tidings again: for three days ago, +while some of the folk were hunting peaceably in the Wild-wood +and thinking no evil, they were fallen upon of set purpose by a +host of men-at-arms, and nought would serve but mere battle for +dear life, so that many of our neighbours were hurt, and three +slain outright; and now mark this, that those who there fell upon +our folk were clad and armed even as the two felons that slew +Wood-grey, and moreover were like them in aspect of body. +Now stand forth Hall-face my son, and answer to my questions in a +loud voice, so that all may hear thee.’</p> +<p>So Hall-face stood forth, clad in gleaming war-gear, with an +axe over his shoulder, and seemed a doughty warrior. And +Iron-face said to him:</p> +<p>‘Tell me, son, those whom ye met in the wood, and of +whom ye brought home two captives, how much like were they to the +murder-carles at Wood-grey’s?’</p> +<p>Said Hall-face: ‘As like as peas out of the same cod, +and to <a name="page174"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +174</span>our eyes all those whom we saw in the wood might have +been sons of one father and one mother, so much alike were +they.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said the Alderman; ‘now tell me how +many by thy deeming fell upon you in the wood?’</p> +<p>Said Hall-face: ‘We deemed that if they were any less +than threescore, they were little less.’</p> +<p>‘Great was the odds,’ said the Alderman. +‘Or how many were ye?’</p> +<p>‘One score and seven,’ said Hall-face.</p> +<p>Said the Alderman: ‘And yet ye escaped with life all +save those three?’</p> +<p>Hall-face said: ‘I deem that scarce one should have come +back alive, had it not been that as we fought came a noise like +the howling of wolves, and thereat the foemen turned and fled, +and there followed on the fleers tall men clad in sheep-brown +raiment, who smote them down as they fled.’</p> +<p>‘Here then is the story, neighbours,’ said the +Alderman, ‘and ye may see thereby that if those slayers of +Wood-grey were outcast, their band is a great one; but it seemeth +rather that they were men of a folk whose craft it is to rob with +the armed hand, and to slay the robbed; and that they are now +gathering on our borders for war. Yet, moreover, they have +foemen in the woods who should be fellows-in-arms of us. +How sayest thou, Stone-face? Thou art old, and hast seen +many wars in the Dale, and knowest the Wild-wood to its +innermost.</p> +<p>‘Alderman,’ said Stone-face, ‘and ye +neighbours of the Dale, maybe these foes whom ye have met are not +of the race of man, but are trolls and wood-wights. Now if +they be trolls it is ill, for then is the world growing worser, +and the wood shall be right perilous for those who needs must +fare therein. Yet if they be men it is a worse matter; for +the trolls would not come out of the waste into the sunlight of +the Dale. But these foes, if they be men, are lusting after +our fair Dale to eat it up, and it is most like that they are +gathering a huge host to fall upon us at home. <a +name="page175"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 175</span>Such things +I have heard of when I was young, and the aspect of the evil men +who overran the kindreds of old time, according to all tales and +lays that I have heard, is even such as the aspect of those whom +we have seen of late. As to those wolves who saved the +neighbours and chased their foemen, there is one here who belike +knoweth more of all this than we do, and that, O Alderman, is thy +son whom I have fostered, Face-of-god to wit. Bid him +answer to thy questioning, and tell us what he hath seen and +heard of late; then shall we verily know the whole story as far +as it can be known.’</p> +<p>Then men pressed round, and were eager to hear what +Face-of-god would be saying. But or ever the Alderman could +begin to question him, the throng was cloven by new-comers, and +these were the men who had been sent to bring home the corpses of +the Dusky Men: so they had cast loaded hooks into the Weltering +Water, and had dragged up him whom Face-of-god had shoved into +the eddy, and who had sunk like a stone just where he fell, and +now they were bringing him on a bier along with him who had been +slain a-land. They were set down in the place before the +Alderman, and men who had not seen them before looked eagerly on +them that they might behold the aspect of their foemen; and +nought lovely were they to look on; for the drowned man was +already bleached and swollen with the water, and the other, his +face was all wryed and twisted with that spear-thrust in the +mouth.</p> +<p>Then the Alderman said: ‘I would question my son +Face-of-god. Let him stand forth!’</p> +<p>And therewith he smiled merrily in his son’s face, for +he was standing right in front of him; and he said:</p> +<p>‘Ask of me, Alderman, and I will answer.’</p> +<p>‘Kinsman,’ said Iron-face, ‘look at these +two dead men, and tell me, if thou hast seen any such besides +those two murder-carles who were slain at Carlstead; or if thou +knowest aught of their folk?’</p> +<p><a name="page176"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 176</span>Said +Face-of-god: ‘Yesterday I saw six others like to these both +in array and of body, and three of them I slew, for we were in +battle with them early in the morning.’</p> +<p>There was a murmur of joy at this word, since all men took +these felons for deadly foemen; but Iron-face said: ‘What +meanest thou by “we”?’</p> +<p>‘I and the men who had guested me overnight,’ said +Face-of-god, ‘and they slew the other three; or rather a +woman of them slew the felons.’</p> +<p>‘Valiant she was; all good go with her hand!’ said +the Alderman. ‘But what be these people, and where do +they dwell?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘As to what they are, they are of the +kindred of the Gods and the Fathers, valiant men, and +guest-cherishing: rich have they been, and now are poor: and +their poverty cometh of these same felons, who mastered them by +numbers not to be withstood. As to where they dwell: when I +say the name of their dwelling-place men mock at me, as if I +named some valley in the moon: yet came I to Burgdale thence in +one day across the mountain-necks led by sure guides, and I tell +thee that the name of their abode is Shadowy Vale.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Iron-face, ‘knoweth any man here +of Shadowy Vale, or where it is?’</p> +<p>None answered for a while; but there was an old man who was +sitting on the shafts of a wain on the outskirts of the throng, +and when he heard this word he asked his neighbour what the +Alderman was saying, and he told him. Then said that +elder:</p> +<p>‘Give me place; for I have a word to say +hereon.’ Therewith he arose, and made his way to the +front of the ring of men, and said: ‘Alderman, thou knowest +me?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Iron-face, ‘thou art called the +Fiddle, because of thy sweet speech and thy minstrelsy; whereof I +mind me well in the time when I was young and thou no longer +young.’</p> +<p>‘So it is,’ said the Fiddle. ‘Now +hearken! When I was very young I heard of a vale lying far +away across the mountain-necks; <a name="page177"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 177</span>a vale where the sun shone never in +winter and scantily in summer; for my sworn foster-brother, +Fight-fain, a bold man and a great hunter, had happened upon it; +and on a day in full midsummer he brought me thither; and even +now I see the Vale before me as in a picture; a marvellous place, +well grassed, treeless, narrow, betwixt great cliff-walls of +black stone, with a green river running through it towards a +yawning gap and a huge force. Amidst that Vale was a +doom-ring of black stones, and nigh thereto a feast-hall well +builded of the like stones, over whose door was carven the image +of a wolf with red gaping jaws, and within it (for we entered +into it) were stone benches on the daïs. Thence we +came away, and thither again we went in late autumn, and so dusk +and cold it was at that season, that we knew not what to call it +save the valley of deep shade. But its real name we never +knew; for there was no man there to give us a name or tell us any +tale thereof; but all was waste there; the wimbrel laughed across +its water, the raven croaked from its crags, the eagle screamed +over it, and the voices of its waters never ceased; and thus we +left it. So the seasons passed, and we went thither no +more: for Fight-fain died, and without him wandering over the +waste was irksome to me; so never have I seen that valley again, +or heard men tell thereof.</p> +<p>‘Now, neighbours, have I told you of a valley which +seemeth to be Shadowy Vale; and this is true and no made-up +story.’</p> +<p>The Alderman nodded kindly to him, and then said to +Face-of-god: ‘Kinsman, is this word according with what +thou knowest of Shadowy Vale?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, on all points,’ said Face-of-god; ‘he +hath put before me a picture of the valley. And whereas he +saith, that in his youth it was waste, this also goeth with my +knowledge thereof. For once was it peopled, and then was +waste, and now again is it peopled.’</p> +<p>‘Tell us then more of the folk thereof,’ said the +Alderman; ‘are they many?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Face-of-god, ‘they are +not. How might they be <a name="page178"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 178</span>many, dwelling in that narrow Vale +amid the wastes? But they are valiant, both men and women, +and strong and well-liking. Once they dwelt in a fair dale +called Silver-dale, the name whereof will be to you as a name in +a lay; and there were they wealthy and happy. Then fell +upon them this murderous Folk, whom they call the Dusky Men; and +they fought and were overcome, and many of them were slain, and +many enthralled, and the remnant of them escaped through the +passes of the mountains and came back to dwell in Shadowy Vale, +where their forefathers had dwelt long and long ago; and this +overthrow befell them ten years agone. But now their old +foemen have broken out from Silver-dale and have taken to +scouring the wood seeking prey; so they fall upon these Dusky Men +as occasion serves, and slay them without pity, as if they were +adders or evil dragons; and indeed they be worse. And these +valiant men know for certain that their foemen are now of mind to +fall upon this Dale and destroy it, as they have done with others +nigher to them. And they will slay our men, and lie with +our women against their will, and enthrall our children, and +torment all those that lie under their hands till life shall be +worse than death to them. Therefore, O Alderman and +Wardens, and ye neighbours all, it behoveth you to take counsel +what we shall do, and that speedily.’</p> +<p>There was again a murmur, as of men nothing daunted, but +intent on taking some way through the coming trouble. But +no man said aught till the Alderman spake:</p> +<p>‘When didst thou first happen upon this Earl-folk, +son?’</p> +<p>‘Late last autumn,’ said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>Said Iron-face: ‘Then mightest thou have told us of this +tale before.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said his son, ‘but I knew it not, or +but little of it, till two days agone. In the autumn I +wandered in the woodland, and on the fell I happened on a few of +this folk dwelling in a booth by the pine-wood; and they were +kind and guest-fain with me, and gave me meat and drink and +lodging, and bade me come to <a name="page179"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 179</span>Shadowy Vale in the spring, when I +should know more of them. And that was I fain of; for they +are wise and goodly men. But I deemed no more of those that +I saw there save as men who had been outlawed by their own folk +for deeds that were unlawful belike, but not shameful, and were +biding their time of return, and were living as they might +meanwhile. But of the whole Folk and their foemen knew I no +more than ye did, till two days agone, when I met them again in +Shadowy Vale. Also I think before long ye shall see their +chieftain in Burgstead, for he hath a word for us. Lastly, +my mind it is that those brown-clad men who helped Hall-face and +his company in the wood were nought but men of this Earl-kin +seeking their foemen; for indeed they told me that they had come +upon a battle in the woodland wherein they had slain their +foemen. Now have I told you all that ye need to know +concerning these matters.’</p> +<p>Again was there silence as Iron-face sat pondering a question +for his son; then a goodman of the Upper Dale, Gritgarth to wit, +spake and said:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane mine, tell us how many is this folk; I mean +their fighting-men?’</p> +<p>‘Well asked, neighbour,’ said Iron-face.</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Their fighting-men of full age may be +five score; but besides that there shall be some two or three +score of women that will fight, whoever says them nay; and many +of these are little worse in the field than men; or no worse, for +they shoot well in the bow. Moreover, there will be a full +score of swains not yet twenty winters old whom ye may not hinder +to fight if anything is a-doing.’</p> +<p>‘This is no great host,’ said the Alderman; +‘yet if they deem there is little to lose by fighting, and +nought to gain by sitting still, they may go far in winning their +desire; and that more especially if they may draw into their +quarrel some other valiant Folk more in number than they +be. I marvel not, though, they were kind to thee, son +Gold-mane, if they knew who thou wert.’</p> +<p><a name="page180"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +180</span>‘They knew it,’ said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>‘Neighbours,’ said the Alderman, ‘have ye +any rede hereon, and aught to say to back your rede?’</p> +<p>Then spake the Fiddle: ‘As ye know and may see, I am now +very old, and, as the word goes, unmeet for battle: yet might I +get me to the field, either on mine own legs or on the legs of +some four-foot beast, I would strike, if it were but one stroke, +on these pests of the earth. And, Alderman, meseemeth we +shall do amiss if we bid not the Earl-folk of Shadowy Vale to be +our fellows in arms in this adventure. For look you, how +few soever they be, they will be sure to know the ways of our +foemen, and the mountain passes, and the surest and nighest roads +across the necks and the mires of the waste; and though they be +not a host, yet shall they be worth a host to us?’</p> +<p>When men heard his words they shouted for joy of them; for +hatred of the Dusky Men who should so mar their happy life in the +Dale was growing up in them, and the more that hatred waxed, the +more waxed their love of those valiant ones.</p> +<p>Now Red-coat of Waterless spake again: he was a big man, both +tall and broad, ruddy-faced and red-haired, some forty winters +old. He said:</p> +<p>‘Life hath been well with us of the Lower Dale, and we +deem that we have much to lose in losing it. Yet ill would +the bargain be to buy life with thralldom: we have been +over-merry hitherto for that. Therefore I say, to +battle! And as to these men, these well-wishers of +Face-of-god, if they also are minded for battle with our foes, we +were fools indeed if we did not join them to our company, were +they but one score instead of six.’</p> +<p>Men shouted again, and they said that Red-coat had spoken +well. Then one after other the goodmen of the Dale came and +gave their word for fellowship in arms with the Men of Shadowy +Vale, if there were such as Face-of-god had said, which they +doubted not; and amongst them that spake were Fox of Nethertown, +and Warwell, and Gritgarth, and Bearswain, and Warcliff, and <a +name="page181"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 181</span>Hart of +Highcliff, and Worm of Willowholm, and Bullsbane, and Highneb of +the Marsh: all these were stout men-at-arms and men of good +counsel.</p> +<p>Last of all the Alderman spake and said:</p> +<p>‘As to the war, that must we needs meet if all be sooth +that we have heard, and I doubt it not.</p> +<p>‘Now therefore let us look to it like wise men while +time yet serves. Ye shall know that the muster of the +Dalesmen will bring under shield eight long hundreds of men +well-armed, and of the Shepherd-Folk four hundreds, and of the +Woodlanders two hundreds; and this is a goodly host if it be well +ordered and wisely led. Now am I your Alderman and your +Doomster, and I can heave up a sword as well as another maybe, +nor do I think that I shall blench in the battle; yet I misdoubt +me that I am no leader or orderer of men-of-war: therefore ye +will do wisely to choose a wiser man-at-arms than I be for your +War-leader; and if at the Great Folk-mote, when all the Houses +and Kindreds are gathered, men yeasay your choosing, then let him +abide; but if they naysay it, let him give place to +another. For time presses. Will ye so +choose?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, yea!’ cried all men.</p> +<p>‘Good is that, neighbours,’ said the +Alderman. ‘Whom will ye have for War-leader? +Consider well.’</p> +<p>Short was their rede, for every man opened his mouth and cried +out ‘Face-of-god!’ Then said the Alderman:</p> +<p>‘The man is young and untried; yet though he is so near +akin to me, I will say that ye will do wisely to take him; for he +is both deft of his hands and brisk; and moreover, of this matter +he knoweth more than all we together. Now therefore I +declare him your War-leader till the time of the Great +Folk-mote.’</p> +<p>Then all men shouted with great glee and clashed their +weapons; but some few put their heads together and spake apart a +little while, and then one of them, Red-coat of Waterless to wit, +came forward and said: ‘Alderman, some of us deem it good +that <a name="page182"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +182</span>Stone-face, the old man wise in war and in the ways of +the Wood, should be named as a counsellor to the War-leader; and +Hall-face, a very brisk and strong young man, to be his right +hand and sword-bearer.’</p> +<p>‘Good is that,’ said Iron-face. +‘Neighbours, will ye have it so?’ This also +they yeasaid without delay, and the Alderman declared Stone-face +and Hall-face the helpers of Face-of-god in this business. +Then he said:</p> +<p>‘If any hath aught to say concerning what is best to be +done at once, it were good that he said it now before all and not +to murmur and grudge hereafter.’</p> +<p>None spake save the Fiddle, who said: ‘Alderman and +War-leader, one thing would I say: that if these foemen are +anywise akin to those overrunners of the Folks of whom the tales +went in my youth (for I also as well as Stone-face mind me well +of those tales concerning them), it shall not avail us to sit +still and await their onset. For then may they not be +withstood, when they have gathered head and burst out and over +the folk that have been happy, even as the waters that overtop a +dyke and cover with their muddy ruin the deep green grass and the +flower-buds of spring. Therefore my rede is, as soon as may +be to go seek these folk in the woodland and wheresoever else +they may be wandering. What sayest thou, +Face-of-god?’</p> +<p>‘My rede is as thine,’ said he; ‘and to +begin with, I do now call upon ten tens of good men to meet me in +arms at the beginning of Wildlake’s Way to-morrow morning +at daybreak; and I bid my brother Hall-face to summon such as are +most meet thereto. For this I deem good, that we scour the +wood daily at present till we hear fresh tidings from them of +Shadowy Vale, who are nigher than we to the foemen. Now, +neighbours, are ye ready to meet me?’</p> +<p>Then all shouted, ‘Yea, we will go, we will +go!’</p> +<p>Said the Alderman: ‘Now have we made provision for the +war in that which is nearest to our hands. Yet have we to +deal with <a name="page183"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +183</span>the matter of the fellowship with the Folk whom +Face-of-god hath seen. This is a matter for thee, son, at +least till the Great Folk-mote is holden. Tell me then, +shall we send a messenger to Shadowy Vale to speak with this +folk, or shall we abide the chieftain’s coming?’</p> +<p>‘By my rede,’ said Face-of-god, ‘we shall +abide his coming: for first, though I might well make my way +thither, I doubt if I could give any the bearings, so that he +could come there without me; and belike I am needed at home, +since I am become War-leader. Moreover, when your messenger +cometh to Shadowy Vale, he may well chance to find neither the +chieftain there, nor the best of his men; for whiles are they +here, and whiles there, as they wend following after the Dusky +Men.’</p> +<p>‘It is well, son,’ said the Alderman, ‘let +it be as thou sayest: soothly this matter must needs be brought +before the Great Folk-mote. Now will I ask if any other +hath any word to say, or any rede to give before this Gate-thing +sundereth?’</p> +<p>But no man came forward, and all men seemed well content and +of good heart; and it was now well past noontide.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVI. THE ENDING OF THE GATE-THING.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> just as the Alderman was on the +point of rising to declare the breaking-up of the Thing, there +came a stir in the throng and it opened, and a warrior came forth +into the innermost of the ring of men, arrayed in goodly +glittering War-gear; clad in such wise that a tunicle of precious +gold-wrought web covered the hauberk all but the sleeves thereof, +and the hem of it beset with blue mountain-stones smote against +the ankles and well-nigh touched the feet, shod with sandals +gold-embroidered and gemmed. This warrior bore a goodly +gilded helm on the head, and held in hand a spear with +gold-garlanded shaft, and was girt with a sword whose hilts and +scabbard both were adorned with gold and gems: beardless, <a +name="page184"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +184</span>smooth-cheeked, exceeding fair of face was the warrior, +but pale and somewhat haggard-eyed: and those who were nearby +beheld and wondered; for they saw that there was come the Bride +arrayed for war and battle, as if she were a messenger from the +House of the Gods, and the Burg that endureth for ever.</p> +<p>Then she fell to speech in a voice which at first was somewhat +hoarse and broken, but cleared as she went on, and she said:</p> +<p>‘There sittest thou, O Alderman of Burgdale! Is +Face-of-god thy son anywhere nigh, so that he can hear +me?’</p> +<p>But Iron-face wondered at her word, and said: ‘He is +beside thee, as he should be.’ For indeed Face-of-god +was touching her, shoulder to shoulder. But she looked not +to the right hand nor the left, but said:</p> +<p>‘Hearken, Iron-face! Chief of the House of the +Face, Alderman of the Dale, and ye also, neighbours and goodmen +of the Dale: I am a woman called the Bride, of the House of the +Steer, and ye have heard that I have plighted my troth to +Face-of-god to wed with him, to love him, and lie in his +bed. But it is not so: we are not troth-plight; nor will I +wed with him, nor any other, but will wend with you to the war, +and play my part therein according to what might is in me; nor +will I be worser than the wives of Shadowy Vale.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god heard her words with no change of countenance; but +Iron-face reddened over all his face, and stared at her, and knit +his brows and said:</p> +<p>‘Maiden, what are these words? What have we done +to thee? Have I not been to thee as a father, and loved +thee dearly? Is not my son goodly and manly and deft in +arms? Hath it not ever been the wont of the House of the +Face to wed in the House of the Steer? and in these two Houses +there hath never yet been a goodlier man and a lovelier maiden +than are ye two. What have we done then?’</p> +<p>‘Ye have done nought against me,’ she said, +‘and all that thou sayest is sooth; yet will I not wed with +Face-of-god.’</p> +<p><a name="page185"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 185</span>Yet +fiercer waxed the face of the Alderman, and he said in a loud +voice:</p> +<p>‘But how if I tell thee that I will speak with thy +kindred of the Steer, and thou shalt do after my bidding whether +thou wilt or whether thou wilt not?’</p> +<p>‘And how will ye compel me thereto?’ she +said. ‘Are there thralls in the Dale? Or will +ye make me an outlaw? Who shall heed it? Or I shall +betake me to Shadowy Vale and become one of their +warrior-maidens.’</p> +<p>Now was the Alderman’s face changing from red to white, +and belike he forgat the Thing, and what he was doing there, and +he cried out:</p> +<p>‘This is an evil day, and who shall help me? Thou, +Face-of-god, what hast thou to say? Wilt thou let this +woman go without a word? What hath bewitched +thee?’</p> +<p>But never a word spake his son, but stood looking straight +forward, cold and calm by seeming. Then turned Iron-face +again to the Bride, and said in a softer voice:</p> +<p>‘Tell me, maiden, whom I erst called daughter, what hath +befallen, that thou wilt leave my son; thou who wert once so kind +and loving to him; whose hand was always seeking his, whose eyes +were ever following his; who wouldst go where he bade, and come +when he called. What hath betid that ye have cast him out, +and flee from our House?’</p> +<p>She flushed red beneath her helm and said:</p> +<p>‘There is war in the land, and I have seen it coming, +and that things shall change around us. I have looked about +me and seen men happy and women content, and children weary for +mere mirth and joy. And I have thought, in a day, or two +days or three, all this shall be changed, and the women shall be, +some anxious and wearied with waiting, some casting all hope +away; and the men, some shall come back to the garth no more, and +some shall come back maimed and useless, and there shall be loss +of friends and fellows, and mirth departed, and dull days and +empty hours, <a name="page186"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +186</span>and the children wandering about marvelling at the +sorrow of the house. All this I saw before me, and grief +and pain and wounding and death; and I said: Shall I be any +better than the worst of the folk that loveth me? Nay, this +shall never be; and since I have learned to be deft with mine +hands in all the play of war, and that I am as strong as many a +man, and as hardy-hearted as any, I will give myself to the +Warrior and the God of the Face; and the battle-field shall be my +home, and the after-grief of the fight my banquet and holiday, +that I may bear the burden of my people, in the battle and out of +it; and know every sorrow that the Dale hath; and cast aside as a +grievous and ugly thing the bed of the warrior that the maiden +desires, and the toying of lips and hands and soft words of +desire, and all the joy that dwelleth in the Castle of Love and +the Garden thereof; while the world outside is sick and sorry, +and the fields lie waste and the harvest burneth. Even so +have I sworn, even so will I do.’</p> +<p>Her eyes glittered and her cheek was flushed, and her voice +was clear and ringing now; and when she ended there arose a +murmur of praise from the men round about her. But +Iron-face said coldly:</p> +<p>‘These are great words; but I know not what they +mean. If thou wilt to the field and fight among the carles +(and that I would not naysay, for it hath oft been done and +praised aforetime), why shouldest thou not go side by side with +Face-of-god and as his plighted maiden?’</p> +<p>The light which the sweetness of speech had brought into her +face had died out of it now, and she looked weary and hapless as +she answered him slowly:</p> +<p>‘I will not wed with Face-of-god, but will fare afield +as a virgin of war, as I have sworn to the Warrior.’</p> +<p>Then waxed Iron-face exceeding wroth, and he rose up before +all men and cried loudly and fiercely:</p> +<p>‘There is some lie abroad, that windeth about us as the +gossamers in the lanes of an autumn morning.’</p> +<p>And therewith he strode up to Face-of-god as though he had <a +name="page187"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 187</span>nought to +do with the Thing; and he stood before him and cried out at him +while all men wondered:</p> +<p>‘Thou! what hast thou done to turn this maiden’s +heart to stone? Who is it that is devising guile with thee +to throw aside this worthy wedding in a worthy House, with whom +our sons are ever wont to wed? Speak, tell the +tale!’</p> +<p>But Face-of-god held his peace and stood calm and proud before +all men.</p> +<p>Then the blood mounted to Iron-face’s head, and he +forgat folk and kindred and the war to come, and he cried so that +all the place rang with the words of his anger:</p> +<p>‘Thou dastard! I see thee now; it is thou that +hast done this, and not the maiden; and now thou hast made her +bear a double burden, and set her on to speak for thee, whilst +thou standest by saying nought, and wilt take no scruple’s +weight of her shame upon thee!’</p> +<p>But his son spake never a word, and Iron-face cried: +‘Out on thee! I know thee now, and why thou wouldest +not to the West-land last winter. I am no fool; I know +thee. Where hast thou hidden the stranger woman?’</p> +<p>Therewith he drew forth his sword and hove it aloft as if to +hew down Face-of-god, who spake not nor flinched nor raised a +hand from his side. But the Bride threw herself in front of +Gold-mane, while there arose an angry cry of ‘The Peace of +the Holy Thing! Peace-breaking, peace-breaking!’ and +some cried, ‘For the War-leader, the War-leader!’ and +as men could for the press they drew forth their swords, and +there was tumult and noise all over the Thing-stead.</p> +<p>But Stone-face caught hold of the Alderman’s right arm +and dragged down the sword, and the big carle, Red-coat of +Waterless, came up behind him and cast his arms about his middle +and drew him back; and presently he looked around him, and slowly +sheathed his sword, and went back to his place and sat him down; +and in a little while the noise abated and swords were sheathed, +<a name="page188"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 188</span>and men +waxed quiet again, and the Alderman arose and said in a loud +voice, but in the wonted way of the head man of the Thing:</p> +<p>‘Here hath been trouble in the Holy Thing; a violent man +hath troubled it, and drawn sword on a neighbour; will the +neighbours give the dooming hereof into the hands of the +Alderman?’</p> +<p>Now all knew Iron-face, and they cried out, ‘That will +we.’ So he spake again:</p> +<p>‘I doom the troubler of the Peace of the Holy Thing to +pay a fine, to wit double the blood-wite that would be duly paid +for a full-grown freeman of the kindreds.’</p> +<p>Then the cry went up and men yeasaid his doom, and all said +that it was well and fairly doomed; and Iron-face sat still.</p> +<p>But Stone-face stood forth and said:</p> +<p>‘Here have been wild words in the air; and dreams have +taken shape and come amongst us, and have bewitched us, so that +friends and kin have wrangled. And meseemeth that this is +through the wizardry of these felons, who, even dead as they are, +have cast spells over us. Good it were to cast them into +the Death Tarn, and then to get to our work; for there is much to +do.’</p> +<p>All men yeasaid that; and Forkbeard of Lea went with those who +had borne the corpses thither to cast them into the black +pool.</p> +<p>But the Fiddle spake and said:</p> +<p>‘Stone-face sayeth sooth. O Alderman, thou art no +young man, yet am I old enough to be thy father; so will I give +thee a rede, and say this: Face-of-god thy son is no liar or +dastard or beguiler, but he is a young man and exceeding goodly +of fashion, well-spoken and kind; so that few women may look on +him and hear him without desiring his kindness and love, and to +such men as this many things happen. Moreover, he hath now +become our captain, and is a deft warrior with his hands, and as +I deem, a sober and careful leader of men; therefore we need him +and his courage and his skill of leading. So rage not +against him as if he had done an ill deed not to be +forgiven—whatever he hath done, <a name="page189"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 189</span>whereof we know not—for life +is long before him, and most like we shall still have to thank +him for many good deeds towards us. As for the maiden, she +is both lovely and wise. She hath a sorrow at her heart, +and we deem that we know what it is. Yet hath she not lied +when she said that she would bear the burden of the griefs of the +people. Even so shall she do; and whether she will, or +whether she will not, that shall heal her own griefs. For +to-morrow is a new day. Therefore, if thou do after my +rede, thou wilt not meddle betwixt these twain, but wilt remember +all that we have to do, and that war is coming upon us. And +when that is over, we shall turn round and behold each other, and +see that we are not wholly what we were before; and then shall +that which were hard to forgive, be forgotten, and that which is +remembered be easy to forgive.’</p> +<p>So he spake; and Iron-face sat still and put his left hand to +his beard as one who pondereth; but the Bride looked in the face +of the old man the Fiddle, and then she turned and looked at +Gold-mane, and her face softened, and she stood before the +Alderman, and bent down before him and held out both her hands to +him the palms upward. Then she said: ‘Thou hast been +wroth with me, and I marvel not; for thy hope, and the hope which +we all had, hath deceived thee. But kind indeed hast thou +been to me ere now: therefore I pray thee take it not amiss if I +call to thy mind the oath which thou swearedst on the Holy Boar +last Yule, that thou wouldst not gainsay the prayer of any man if +thou couldest perform it; therefore I bid thee naysay not mine: +and that is, that thou wilt ask me no more about this matter, but +wilt suffer me to fare afield like any swain of the Dale, and to +deal so with my folk that they shall not hinder me. Also I +pray thee that thou wilt put no shame upon Face-of-god my +playmate and my kinsman, nor show thine anger to him openly, even +if for a little while thy love for him be abated. No more +than this will I ask of thee.’</p> +<p>All men who heard her were moved to the heart by her kindness +<a name="page190"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 190</span>and the +sweetness of her voice, which was like to the robin singing +suddenly on a frosty morning of early winter. But as for +Gold-mane, his heart was smitten sorely by it, and her sorrow and +her friendliness grieved him out of measure.</p> +<p>But Iron-face answered after a little while, speaking slowly +and hoarsely, and with the shame yet clinging to him of a man who +has been wroth and has speedily let his wrath run off him. +So he said:</p> +<p>‘It is well, my daughter. I have no will to +forswear myself; nor hast thou asked me a thing which is +over-hard. Yet indeed I would that to-day were yesterday, +or that many days were worn away.’</p> +<p>Then he stood up and cried in a loud voice over the +throng:</p> +<p>‘Let none forget the muster; but hold him ready against +the time that the Warden shall come to him. Let all men +obey the War-leader, Face-of-god, without question or +delay. As to the fine of the peace-breaker, it shall be +laid on the altar of the God at the Great Folk-mote. +Herewith is the Thing broken up.’</p> +<p>Then all men shouted and clashed their weapons, and so +sundered, and went about their business.</p> +<p>And the talk of men it was that the breaking of the +troth-plight between those twain was ill; for they loved +Face-of-god, and as for the Bride they deemed her the Dearest of +the kindreds and the Jewel of the Folk, and as if she were the +fairest and the kindest of all the Gods. Neither did the +wrath of Iron-face mislike any; but they said he had done well +and manly both to be wroth and to let his wrath run off +him. As to the war which was to come, they kept a good +heart about it, and deemed it as a game to be played, wherein +they might show themselves deft and valiant, and so get back to +their merry life again.</p> +<p>So wore the day through afternoon to even and night.</p> +<h2><a name="page191"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +191</span>CHAPTER XXVII. FACE-OF-GOD LEADETH A BAND THROUGH +THE WOOD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Next</span> morning tryst was held +faithfully, and an hundred and a half were gathered together on +Wildlake’s Way; and Face-of-god ordered them into three +companies. He made Hall-face leader over the first one, and +bade him hold on his way northward, and then to make for +Boars-bait and see if he should meet with anything thereabout +where the battle had been. Red-coat of Waterless he made +captain of the second band; and he had it in charge to wend +eastward along the edge of the Dale, and not to go deep into the +wood, but to go as far as he might within the time appointed, +toward the Mountains. Furthermore, he bade both Hall-face +and Red-coat to bring their bands back to Wildlake’s Way by +the morrow at sunset, where other goodmen should be come to take +the places of their men; and then if he and his company were back +again, he would bid them further what to do; but if not, as +seemed likely, then Hall-face’s band to go west toward the +Shepherd country half a day’s journey, and so back, and +Red-coat’s east along the Dale’s lip again for the +like time, and then back, so that there might be a constant watch +and ward of the Dale kept against the Felons.</p> +<p>All being ordered Gold-mane led his own company north-east +through the thick wood, thinking that he might so fare as to come +nigh to Silver-dale, or at least to hear tidings thereof. +This intent he told to Stone-face, but the old man shook his head +and said:</p> +<p>‘Good is this if it may be done; but it is not for +everyone to go down to Hell in his lifetime and come back safe +with a tale thereof. However, whither thou wilt lead, +thither will I follow, though assured death waylayeth +us.’</p> +<p>And the old carle was joyous and proud to be on this +adventure, and said, that it was good indeed that his foster-son +had with <a name="page192"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +192</span>him a man well stricken in years, who had both seen +many things, and learned many, and had good rede to give to +valiant men.</p> +<p>So they went on their ways, and fared very warily when they +were gotten beyond those parts of the wood which they knew +well. By this time they were strung out in a long line; and +they noted their road carefully, blazing the trees on either side +when there were trees, and piling up little stone-heaps where the +trees failed them. For Stone-face said that oft it befell +men amidst the thicket and the waste to be misled by wights that +begrudged men their lives, so that they went round and round in a +ring which they might not depart from till they died; and no man +doubted his word herein.</p> +<p>All day they went, and met no foe, nay, no man at all; nought +but the wild things of the wood; and that day the wood changed +little about them from mile to mile. There were many +thickets across their road which they had to go round about; so +that to the crow flying over the tree-tops the journey had not +been long to the place where night came upon them, and where they +had to make the wood their bedchamber.</p> +<p>That night they lighted no fire, but ate such cold victual as +they might carry with them; nor had they shot any venison, since +they had with them more than enough; they made little noise or +stir therefore and fell asleep when they had set the watch.</p> +<p>On the morrow they arose betimes, and broke their fast and +went their ways till noon: by then the wood had thinned somewhat, +and there was little underwood betwixt the scrubby oak and ash +which were pretty nigh all the trees about: the ground also was +broken, and here and there rocky, and they went into and out of +rough little dales, most of which had in them a brook of water +running west and southwest; and now Face-of-god led his men +somewhat more easterly; and still for some while they met no +man.</p> +<p>At last, about four hours after noon, when they were going +less warily, because they had hitherto come across nothing to <a +name="page193"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 193</span>hinder +them, rising over the brow of a somewhat steep ridge, they saw +down in the valley below them a half score of men sitting by the +brook-side eating and drinking, their weapons lying beside them, +and along with them stood a woman with her hands tied behind her +back.</p> +<p>They saw at once that these men were of the Felons, so they +that had their bows bent, loosed at them without more ado, while +the others ran in upon them with sword and spear. The +felons leapt up and ran scattering down the dale, such of them as +were not smitten by the shafts; but he who was nighest to the +woman, ere he ran, turned and caught up a sword from the ground +and thrust it through her, and the next moment fell across the +brook with an arrow in his back.</p> +<p>No one of the felons was nimble enough to escape from the +fleet-foot hunters of Burgdale, and they were all slain there to +the number of eleven.</p> +<p>But when they came back to the woman to tend her, she breathed +her last in their hands: she was a young and fair woman, +black-haired and dark-eyed. She had on her body a gown of +rich web, but nought else: she had been bruised and sore +mishandled, and the Burgdale carles wept for pity of her, and for +wrath, as they straightened her limbs on the turf of the little +valley. They let her lie there a little, whilst they +searched round about, lest there should be any other poor soul +needing their help, or any felon lurking thereby; but they found +nought else save a bundle wherein was another rich gown and +divers woman’s gear, and sundry rings and jewels, and +therewithal the weapons and war-gear of a knight, delicately +wrought after the Westland fashion: these seemed to them to +betoken other foul deeds of these murder-carles. So when +they had abided a while, they laid the dead woman in mould by the +brook-side, and buried with her the other woman’s attire +and the knight’s gear, all but his sword and shield, which +they had away with them: then they cast the carcasses of the +felons into the brake, but brought away their weapons and the +silver rings from <a name="page194"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +194</span>their arms, which they wore like all the others of them +whom they had fallen in with; and so went on their way to the +north-east, full of wrath against those dastards of the +Earth.</p> +<p>It was hard on sunset when they left the valley of murder, and +they went no long way thence before they must needs make stay for +the night; and when they had arrayed their sleeping-stead the +moon was up, and they saw that before them lay the close wood +again, for they had made their lair on the top of a little +ridge.</p> +<p>There then they lay, and nought stirred them in the night, and +betimes on the morrow they were afoot, and entered the abovesaid +thicket, wherein two of them, keen hunters, had been aforetime, +but had not gone deep into it. Through this wood they went +all day toward the north-east, and met nought but the wild things +therein. At last, when it was near sunset, they came out of +the thicket into a small plain, or shallow dale rather, with no +great trees in it, but thorn-brakes here and there where the +ground sank into hollows; a little river ran through the midst of +it, and winded round about a height whose face toward the river +went down sheer into the water, but away from it sank down in a +long slope to where the thick wood began again: and this height +or burg looked well-nigh west.</p> +<p>Thitherward they went; but as they were drawing nigh to the +river, and were on the top of a bent above a bushy hollow between +them and the water, they espied a man standing in the river near +the bank, who saw them not, because he was stooping down intent +on something in the bank or under it: so they gat them speedily +down into the hollow without noise, that they might get some +tidings of the man.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god bade his men abide hidden under the bushes +and stole forward quietly up the further bank of the hollow, his +target on his arm and his spear poised. When he was behind +the last bush on the top of the bent he was within half a +spear-cast of the water and the man; so he looked on him and saw +that he was quite naked except for a clout about his middle.</p> +<p><a name="page195"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +195</span>Face-of-god saw at once that he was not one of the +Dusky Men; he was a black-haired man, but white-skinned, and of +fair stature, though not so tall as the Burgdale folk. He +was busied in tickling trouts, and just as Face-of-god came out +from the bush into the westering sunlight, he threw up a fish on +to the bank, and looked up therewithal, and beheld the weaponed +man glittering, and uttered a cry, but fled not when he saw the +spear poised for casting.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god spake to him and said: ‘Come hither, +Woodsman! we will not harm thee, but we desire speech of thee: +and it will not avail thee to flee, since I have bowmen of the +best in the hollow yonder.’</p> +<p>The man put forth his hands towards him as if praying him to +forbear casting, and looked at him hard, and then came dripping +from out the water, and seemed not greatly afeard; for he stooped +down and picked up the trouts he had taken, and came towards +Face-of-god stringing the last-caught one through the gills on to +the withy whereon were the others: and Face-of-god saw that he +was a goodly man of some thirty winters.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god looked on him with friendly eyes and +said:</p> +<p>‘Art thou a foemen? or wilt thou be helpful to +us?’</p> +<p>He answered in the speech of the kindreds with the hoarse +voice of a much weather-beaten man:</p> +<p>‘Thou seest, lord, that I am naked and +unarmed.’</p> +<p>‘Yet may’st thou bewray us,’ said +Face-of-god. ‘What man art thou?’</p> +<p>Said the man: ‘I am the runaway thrall of evil men; I +have fled from Rose-dale and the Dusky Men. Hast thou the +heart to hurt me?’</p> +<p>‘We are the foemen of the Dusky Men,’ said +Face-of-God; ‘wilt thou help us against them?’</p> +<p>The man knit his brows and said: ‘Yea, if ye will give +me your word not to suffer me to fall into their hands +alive. But whence art thou, to be so bold?’</p> +<p><a name="page196"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 196</span>Said +Face-of-god: ‘We are of Burgdale; and I will swear to thee +on the edge of the sword that thou shalt not fall alive into the +hands of the Dusky Men.’</p> +<p>‘Of Burgdale have I heard,’ said the man; +‘and in sooth thou seemest not such a man as would bewray a +hapless man. But now had I best bring you to some +lurking-place where ye shall not be easily found of these devils, +who now oft-times scour the woods hereabout.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Come first and see my fellows; and +then if thou thinkest we have need to hide, it is +well.’</p> +<p>So the man went side by side with him towards their lair, and +as they went Gold-mane noted marks of stripes on his back and +sides, and said: ‘Sorely hast thou been mishandled, poor +man!’</p> +<p>Then the man turned on him and said somewhat fiercely: +‘Said I not that I had been a thrall of the Dusky Men? how +then should I have escaped tormenting and scourging, if I had +been with them for but three days?’</p> +<p>As he spake they came about a thorn-bush, and there were the +Burgdale men down in the hollow; and the man said: ‘Are +these thy fellows? Call to mind that thou hast sworn by the +edge of the sword not to hurt me.’</p> +<p>‘Poor man!’ said Face-of-god; ‘these are thy +friends, unless thou bewrayest us.’</p> +<p>Then he cried aloud to his folk: ‘Here is now a good +hap! this is a runaway thrall of the Dusky Men; of him shall we +hear tidings; so cherish him all ye may.’</p> +<p>So the carles thronged about him and bestirred themselves to +help him, and one gave him his surcoat for a kirtle, and another +cast a cloak about him; and they brought him meat and drink, such +as they had ready to hand: and the man looked as if he scarce +believed in all this, but deemed himself to be in a dream. +But presently he turned to Face-of-god and said:</p> +<p>‘Now I see so many men and weapons I deem that ye have +no need to skulk in caves to-night, though I know of good ones: +<a name="page197"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 197</span>yet +shall ye do well not to light a fire till moon-setting; for the +flame ye may lightly hide, but the smoke may be seen from far +aloof.’</p> +<p>But they bade him to meat, and he needed no second bidding but +ate lustily, and they gave him wine, and he drank a great draught +and sighed as for joy. Then he said in a trembling voice, +as though he feared a naysay:</p> +<p>‘If ye are from Burgdale ye shall be faring back again +presently; and I pray you to take me with you.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Yea surely, friend, that will we do, +and rejoice in thee.’</p> +<p>Then he drank another cup which Warcliff held out to him, and +spake again: ‘Yet if ye would abide here till about noon +to-morrow, or mayhappen a little later, I would bring other +runaways to see you; and them also might ye take with you: ye may +think when ye see them that ye shall have small gain of their +company; for poor wretched folk they be, like to myself. +Yet since ye seek for tidings, herein might they do you more +service than I; for amongst them are some who came out of the +hapless Dale within this moon; and it is six months since I +escaped. Moreover, though they may look spent and outworn +now, yet if ye give them a little rest, and feed them well, they +shall yet do many a day’s work for you: and I tell you that +if ye take them for thralls, and put collars on their necks, and +use them no worse than a goodman useth his oxen and his asses, +beating them not save when they are idle or at fault, it shall be +to them as if they were come to heaven out of hell, and to such +goodhap as they have not thought of, save in dreams, for many and +many a day. And thus I entreat you to do because ye seem to +me to be happy and merciful men, who will not begrudge us this +happiness.’</p> +<p>The carles of Burgdale listened eagerly to what he said, and +they looked at him with great eyes and marvelled; and their +hearts were moved with pity towards him; and Stone-face said:</p> +<p><a name="page198"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +198</span>‘Herein, O War-leader, need I give thee no rede, +for thou mayst see clearly that all we deem that we should lose +our manhood and become the dastards of the Warrior if we did not +abide the coming of these poor men, and take them back to the +Dale, and cherish them.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Wolf of Whitegarth, ‘and great +thanks we owe to this man that he biddeth us this: for great will +be the gain to us if we become so like the Gods that we may +deliver the poor from misery. Now must I needs think how +they shall wonder when they come to Burgdale and find out how +happy it is to dwell there.’</p> +<p>‘Surely,’ said Face-of-god, ‘thus shall we +do, whatever cometh of it. But, friend of the wood, as to +thralls, there be none such in the Dale, but therein are all men +friends and neighbours, and even so shall ye be.’</p> +<p>And he fell a-musing, when he bethought him of how little he +had known of sorrow.</p> +<p>But that man, when he beheld the happy faces of the +Burgdalers, and hearkened to their friendly voices, and +understood what they said, and he also was become strong with the +meat and drink, he bowed his head adown and wept a long while; +and they meddled not with him, till he turned again to them and +said:</p> +<p>‘Since ye are in arms, and seem to be seeking your +foemen, I suppose ye wot that these tyrants and man-quellers will +fall upon you in Burgdale ere the summer is well worn.’</p> +<p>‘So much we deem indeed,’ said Face-of-god, +‘but we were fain to hear the certainty of it, and how thou +knowest thereof.’</p> +<p>Said the man: ‘It was six moons ago that I fled, as I +have told you; and even then it was the common talk amongst our +masters that there were fair dales to the south which they would +overrun. Man would say to man: We were over many in +Silver-dale, and we needed more thralls, because those we had +were lessening, and especially the women; now are we more at ease +<a name="page199"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 199</span>in +Rose-dale, though we have sent thralls to Silver-dale; but yet we +can bear no more men from thence to eat up our stock from us: let +them fare south to the happy dales, and conquer them, and we will +go with them and help therein, whether we come back to Rose-dale +or no. Such talk did I hear then with mine own ears: but +some of those whom I shall bring to you to-morrow shall know +better what is doing, since they have fled from Rose-dale but a +few days. Moreover, there is a man and a woman who have +fled from Silver-dale itself, and are but a month from it, +journeying all the time save when they must needs hide; and these +say that their masters have got to know the way to Burgdale, and +are minded for it before the winter, as I said; and nought else +but the ways thither do they desire to know, since they have no +fear.’</p> +<p>By then was night come, and though the moon was high in +heaven, and lighted all that waste, the Burgdalers must needs +light a fire for cooking their meat, whatsoever that woodsman +might say; moreover, the night was cold and somewhat +frosty. A little before they had come to that place they +had shot a fat buck and some smaller deer, but of other meat they +had no great store, though there was wine enough. So they +lit their fire in the thickest of the thorn-bush to hide it all +they might, and thereat they cooked their venison and the trouts +which the runaway had taken, and they fell to, and ate and drank +and were merry, making much of that poor man till him-seemed he +was gotten into the company of the kindest of the Gods.</p> +<p>But when they were full, Face-of-god spake to him, and asked +him his name; and he named himself Dallach; but said he: +‘Lord, this is according to the naming of men in Rose-dale +before we were enthralled: but now what names have thralls? +Also I am not altogether of the blood of them of Rose-dale, but +of better and more warrior-like kin.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Thou hast named Silver-dale; knowest +thou it?’</p> +<p><a name="page200"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +200</span>Dallach answered: ‘I have never seen it. It +is far hence; in a week’s journey, making all diligence, +and not being forced to hide and skulk like those runaways, ye +shall come to the mouth thereof lying west, where its rock-walls +fall off toward the plain.’</p> +<p>‘But,’ said Face-of-god, ‘is there no other +way into that Dale?’</p> +<p>‘Nay, none that folk wot of,’ said Dallach, +‘except to bold cragsmen with their lives in their +hands.’</p> +<p>‘Knowest thou aught of the affairs of +Silver-dale?’ said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>Said Dallach: ‘Somewhat I know: we wot that but a few +years ago there was a valiant folk dwelling therein, who were +lords of the whole dale, and that they were vanquished by the +Dusky Men: but whether they were all slain and enthralled we wot +not; but we deem it otherwise. As for me it is of their +blood that I am partly come; for my father’s father came +thence to settle in Rose-dale, and wedded a woman of the Dale, +who was my father’s mother.’</p> +<p>‘When was it that ye fell under the Dusky Men?’ +said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>Said Dallach: ‘It was five years ago. They came +into the Dale a great company, all in arms.’</p> +<p>‘Was there battle betwixt you?’ said +Face-of-god.</p> +<p>‘Alas! not so,’ said Dallach. ‘We were +a happy folk there; but soft and delicate: for the Dale is +exceeding fertile, and beareth wealth in abundance, both corn and +oil and wine and fruit, and of beasts for man’s service the +best that may be. Would that there had been battle, and +that I had died therein with those that had a heart to fight; and +even so saith now every man, yea, every woman in the Dale. +But it was not so when the elders met in our Council-House on the +day when the Dusky Men bade us pay them tribute and give them +houses to dwell in and lands to live by. Then had we +weapons in our hands, but no hearts to use them.’</p> +<p><a name="page201"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +201</span>‘What befell then?’ said the goodman of +Whitegarth.</p> +<p>Said Dallach: ‘Look ye to it, lords, that it befall not +in Burgdale! We gave them all they asked for, and deemed we +had much left. What befell, sayst thou? We sat quiet; +we went about our work in fear and trembling, for grim and +hideous were they to look on. At first they meddled not +much with us, save to take from our houses what they would of +meat and drink, or raiment, or plenishing. And all this we +deemed we might bear, and that we needed no more than to toil a +little more each day so as to win somewhat more of wealth. +But soon we found that it would not be so; for they had no mind +to till the teeming earth or work in the acres we had given them, +or to sit at the loom, or hammer in the stithy, or do any manlike +work; it was we that must do all that for their behoof, and it +was altogether for them that we laboured, and nought for +ourselves; and our bodies were only so much our own as they were +needful to be kept alive for labour. Herein were our tasks +harder than the toil of any mules or asses, save for the younger +and goodlier of the women, whom they would keep fair and delicate +to be their bed-thralls.</p> +<p>‘Yet not even so were our bodies safe from their malice: +for these men were not only tyrants, but fools and madmen. +Let alone that there were few days without stripes and torments +to satiate their fury or their pleasure, so that in all streets +and nigh any house might you hear wailing and screaming and +groaning; but moreover, though a wise man would not willingly +slay his own thrall any more than his own horse or ox, yet did +these men so wax in folly and malice, that they would often hew +at man or woman as they met them in the way from mere grimness of +soul; and if they slew them it was well. Thereof indeed +came quarrels enough betwixt master and master, for they are much +given to man-slaying amongst themselves: but what profit to us +thereof? Nay, if the dead man were a chieftain, then woe +betide the thralls! for thereof must many an one be slain on his +grave-mound to serve him on the hell-road. To be short: we +have heard of men who be <a name="page202"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 202</span>fierce, and men who be grim; but +these we may scarce believe us to be men at all, but trolls +rather; and ill will it be if their race waxeth in the +world.’</p> +<p>The Burgdale men hearkened with all their ears, and wondered +that such things could befall; and they rejoiced at the work that +lay before them, and their hearts rose high at the thought of +battle in that behalf, and the fame that should come of it. +As for the runaway, they made so much of him that the man +marvelled; for they dealt with him like a woman cherishing a son, +and knew not how to be kind enough to him.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII. THE MEN OF BURGDALE MEET THE +RUNAWAYS.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> ere the night was far spent, +Dallach arose and said:</p> +<p>‘Kind folk, ye will presently be sleeping; but I bid you +keep a good watch, and if ye will be ruled by me, ye will kindle +no fire on the morrow, for the smoke riseth thick in the morning +air, and is as a beacon. As for me, I shall leave you here +to rest, and I myself will fare on mine errand.’</p> +<p>They bade him sleep and rest him after so many toils and +hardships, saying that they were not tied to an hour to be back +in Burgdale; but he said: ‘Nay, the moon is high, and it is +as good as daylight to me, who could find my way even by +starlight; and your tarrying here is nowise safe. Moreover, +if I could find those folk and bring them part of the way by +night and cloud it were well; for if we were taken again, burning +quick would be the best death by which we should die. As +for me, now am I strong with meat and drink and hope; and when I +come to Burgdale there will be time enough for resting and +slumber.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Shall I not wend with thee to see +these people and the lairs wherein they hide?’</p> +<p>The man smiled: ‘Nay, earl,’ said he, ‘that +shall not be. <a name="page203"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 203</span>For wot ye what? If they were +to see me in company of a man-at-arms they would deem that I was +bringing the foe upon them, and would flee, or mayhappen would +fall upon us. For as for me, when I saw thee, thou wert +close anigh me, so I knew thee to be no Dusky Man; but they would +see the glitter of thine arms from afar, and to them all weaponed +men are foemen. Thou, lord, knowest not the heart of a +thrall, nor the fear and doubt that is in it. Nay, I myself +must cast off these clothes that ye have given me, and fare +naked, lest they mistrust me. Only I will take a spear in +my hand, and sling a knife round my neck, if ye will give them to +me; for if the worst happen, I will not be taken +alive.’</p> +<p>Therewith he cast off his raiment, and they gave him the +weapons and wished him good speed, and he went his way twixt +moonlight and shadow; but the Burgdalers went to sleep when they +had set a watch.</p> +<p>Early in the morning they awoke, and the sun was shining and +the thrushes singing in the thorn-brake, and all seemed fair and +peaceful, and a little haze still hung about the face of the burg +over the river. So they went down to the water and washed +the night from off them; and thence the most part of them went +back to their lair among the thorn-bushes: but four of them went +up the dale into the oak-wood to shoot a buck, and five more they +sent out to watch their skirts around them; and Face-of-god with +old Stone-face went over a ford of the stream, and came on to the +lower slope of the burg, and so went up it to the top. +Thence they looked about to see if aught were stirring, but they +saw little save the waste and the wood, which on the north-east +was thick of big trees stretching out a long way. Their own +lair was clear to see over its bank and the bushes thereof, and +that misliked Face-of-god, lest any foe should climb the burg +that day. The morning was clear, and Face-of-god looking +north-and-by-west deemed he saw smoke rising into the air over +the tree-covered ridges that hid the further distance toward that +aírt, though further east uphove the black shoulders of +the Great that <a name="page204"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +204</span>Waste and the snowy peaks behind them. The said +smoke was not such as cometh from one great fire, but was like a +thin veil staining the pale blue sky, as when men are burning +ling on the heath-side and it is seen aloof.</p> +<p>He showed that smoke to Stone-face, who smiled and said:</p> +<p>‘Now will they be lighting the cooking fires in +Rose-dale: would I were there with a few hundreds of axes and +staves at my back!’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Face-of-god, smiling in his face, +‘but where I pray thee are these elves and wood-wights, +that we meet them not? Grim things there are in the woods, +and things fair enough also: but meseemeth that the trolls and +the elves of thy young years have been frighted away.’</p> +<p>Said Stone-face: ‘Maybe, foster-son; that hath been seen +ere now, that when one race of man overrunneth the land inhabited +by another, the wights and elves that love the vanquished are +seen no more, or get them away far off into the outermost wilds, +where few men ever come.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Face-of-god, ‘that may well +be. But deemest thou by that token that we shall be +vanquished?’</p> +<p>‘As for us, I know not,’ said Stone-face; +‘but thy friends of Shadowy Vale have been +vanquished. Moreover, concerning these felons whom now we +are hunting, are we all so sure that they be men? Certain +it is, that when I go into battle with them, I shall smite with +no more pity than my sword, as if I were smiting things that may +not feel the woes of man.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Yea, even so shall it be with +me. But what thinkest thou of these runaways? Shall +we have tidings of them, or shall Dallach bring the foe upon +us? It was for the sake of that question that I have clomb +the burg: and that we might watch the land about us.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Stone-face, ‘I have seen many +men, and I deem of Dallach that he is a true man. I deem we +shall soon have tidings of his fellows; and they may have seen +the elves and wood-wights: I would fain ask them thereof, and am +eager to see them.’</p> +<p><a name="page205"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 205</span>Said +Face-of-god: ‘And I somewhat dread to see them, and their +rags and their misery and the weals of their stripes. It +irked me to see Dallach when he first fell to his meat last +night, how he ate like a dog for fear and famine. How shall +it be, moreover, when we have them in the Dale, and they fall to +the deed of kind there, as they needs must. Will they not +bear us evil and thrall-like men?’</p> +<p>‘Maybe,’ said Stone-face, ‘and maybe not; +for they have been thralls but for a little while: and I deem +that in no long time shall ye see them much bettered by plenteous +meat and rest. And after all is said, this Dallach bore him +like a valiant man; also it was valiant of him to flee; and of +the others may ye say the like. But look you! there are men +going down yonder towards our lair: belike those shall be our +guests, and there be no Dusky Men amongst them. Come, let +us home!’</p> +<p>So Face-of-god looked and beheld from the height of the burg +shapes of men grey and colourless creeping toward the lair from +sunshine to shadow, like wild creatures shy and fearful of the +hunter, or so he deemed of them.</p> +<p>So he turned away, angry and sad of heart, and the twain went +down the burg and across the water to their camp, having seen +little to tell of from the height.</p> +<p>When they came to their campment there were their folk +standing in a ring round about Dallach and the other +runaways. They made way for the War-leader and Stone-face, +who came amongst them and beheld the Runaways, that they were +many more than they looked to see; for they were of carles one +score and three, and of women eighteen, all told save +Dallach. When they saw those twain come through the ring of +men and perceived that they were chieftains, some of them fell +down on their knees before them and held out their joined hands +to them, and kissed the Burgdalers’ feet and the hems of +their garments, while the tears streamed out of their eyes: some +stood moving little and staring before them stupidly: and some +kept glancing from face to face of the well-liking <a +name="page206"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 206</span>happy +Burgdale carles, though for a while even their faces were sad and +downcast at the sight of the poor men: some also kept murmuring +one or two words in their country tongue, and Dallach told +Face-of-god that these were crying out for victual.</p> +<p>It must be said of these poor folk that they were of divers +conditions, and chiefly of three: and first there were seven of +Rose-dale and five of Silver-dale late come to the wood (of these +Silver-dalers Dallach had told but of two, for the other three +were but just come). Of these twelve were seven women, and +all, save two of the women, were clad in one scanty kirtle or +shirt only; for such was the wont of the Dusky Men with their +thralls. They had brought away weapons, and had amongst +them six axes and a spear, and a sword, and five knives, and one +man had a shield.</p> +<p>Yet though these were clad and armed, yet in some wise were +they the worst of all; they were so timorous and cringing, and +most of them heavy-eyed and sullen and down-looking. Many +of them had been grievously mishandled: one man had had his left +hand smitten off; another was docked of three of his toes, and +the gristle of his nose slit up; one was halt, and four had been +ear-cropped, nor did any lack weals of whipping. Of the +Silver-dale new-comers the three men were the worst of all the +Runaways, with wild wandering eyes, but sullen also, and cringing +if any drew nigh, and would not look anyone in the face, save +presently Face-of-god, on whom they were soon fond to fawn, as a +dog on his master. But the women who were with them, and +who were well-nigh as timorous as the men, were those two +gaily-dad ones, and they were soft-handed and white-skinned, save +for the last days of weather in the wood; for they had been +bed-thralls of the Dusky Men.</p> +<p>Such were the new-comers to the wood. But others had +been, like Dallach, months therein; it may be said that there +were eighteen of these, carles and queens together. Little +raiment they had amongst them, and some were all but stark naked, +so that on these might well be seen as on Dallach the marks of +old <a name="page207"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +207</span>stripes, and of these also were there men who had been +shorn of some member or other, and they were all burnt and +blackened by the weather of the woodland; yet for all their +nakedness, they bore themselves bolder and more manlike than the +later comers, nor did they altogether lack weapons taken from +their foemen, and most of them had some edge-tool or +another. Of these folk were four from Silver-dale, though +Dallach knew it not.</p> +<p>Besides these were a half score and one who had been years in +the wood instead of months; weather-beaten indeed were these, +shaggy and rough-skinned like wild men of kind. Some of +them had made themselves skin breeches or clouts, some went stark +naked; of weapons of the Dale had they few, but they bore bows of +hazel or wych-elm strung with deer-gut, and shafts headed with +flint stones; staves also of the same fashion, and great clubs of +oak or holly: some of them also had made them targets of skin and +willow-twigs, for these were the warriors of the Runaways: they +had a few steel knives amongst them, but had mostly learned the +craft of using sharp flints for knives: but four of these were +women.</p> +<p>Three of these men were of the kindreds of the Wolf from +Silver-dale, and had been in the wood for hard upon ten years, +and wild as they were, and without hope of meeting their fellows +again, they went proudly and boldly amongst the others, +overtopping them by the head and more. For the greater part +of these men were somewhat short of stature, though by nature +strong and stout of body.</p> +<p>It must be told that though Dallach had thus gotten all these +many Runaways together, yet had they not been dwelling together +as one folk; for they durst not, lest the Dusky Men should hear +thereof and fall upon them, but they had kept themselves as best +they could in caves and in brakes three together or two, or even +faring alone as Dallach did: only as he was a strong and +stout-hearted man, he went to and fro and wandered about more +than the others, so that he foregathered <a +name="page208"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 208</span>with most +of them and knew them. He said also that he doubted not but +that there were more Runaways in the wood, but these were all he +could come at. Divers who had fled had died from time to +time, and some had been caught and cruelly slain by their +masters. They were none of them old; the oldest, said +Dallach, scant of forty winters, though many from their aspect +might have been old enough.</p> +<p>So Face-of-god looked and beheld all these poor people; and +said to himself, that he might well have dreaded that +sight. For here was he brought face to face with the Sorrow +of the Earth, whereof he had known nought heretofore, save it +might be as a tale in a minstrel’s song. And when he +thought of the minutes that had made the hours, and the hours +that had made the days that these men had passed through, his +heart failed him, and he was dumb and might not speak, though he +perceived that the men of Burgdale looked for speech from him; +but he waved his hand to his folk, and they understood him, for +they had heard Dallach say that some of them were crying for +victual. So they set to work and dighted for them such meat +as they had, and they set them down on the grass and made +themselves their carvers and serving-men, and bade them eat what +they would of such as there was. Yet, indeed, it grieved +the Burgdalers again to note how these folk were driven to eat; +for they themselves, though they were merry folk, were exceeding +courteous at table, and of great observance of manners: whereas +these poor Runaways ate, some of them like hungry dogs, and some +hiding their meat as if they feared it should be taken from them, +and some cowering over it like falcons, and scarce any with a +manlike pleasure in their meal. And, their eating over, the +more part of them sat dull and mopish, and as if all things were +forgotten for the time present.</p> +<p>Albeit presently Dallach bestirred him and said to +Face-of-god: ‘Lord of the Earl-folk, if I might give thee +rede, it were best to turn your faces to Burgdale without more +tarrying. For we are over-nigh to Rose-dale, being but thus +many in company. <a name="page209"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 209</span>But when we come to our next +resting-place, then shall bring thee to speech with the +last-comers from Silver-dale; for there they talk with the tongue +of the kindreds; but we of Rose-dale for the more part talk +otherwise; though in my house it came down from father to +son.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Face-of-god, gazing still on that +unhappy folk, as they sat or lay upon the grass at rest for a +little while: but him-seemed as he gazed that some memories of +past time stirred in some of them; for some, they hung their +heads and the tears stole out of their eyes and rolled down their +cheeks. But those older Runaways of Silver-dale were not +crouched down like most of the others, but strode up and down +like beasts in a den; yet were the tears on the face of one of +these. Then Face-of-god constrained himself, and spake to +the folk, and said: ‘We are now over-nigh to our foes of +Rose-dale to lie here any longer, being too few to fall upon +them. We will come hither again with a host when we have +duly questioned these men who have sought refuge with us: and let +us call yonder height the Burg of the Runaways, and it shall be a +landmark for us when we are on the road to Rose-dale.’</p> +<p>Then the Burgdalers bade the Runaways courteously and kindly +to arise and take the road with them; and by that time were their +men all come in; and four of them had venison with them, which +was needful, if they were to eat that night or the morrow, as the +guests had eaten them to the bone.</p> +<p>So they tarried no more, but set out on the homeward way; and +Face-of-god bade Dallach walk beside him, and asked him such +concerning Rose-dale and its Dusky Men. Dallach told him +that these were not so many as they were masterful, not being +above eight hundreds of men, all fighting-men. As to women, +they had none of their own race, but lay with the Daleswomen at +their will, and begat children of them; and all or most of the +said children favoured the race of their begetters. Of the +men-children they reared most, but the women-children they slew +at once; for <a name="page210"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +210</span>they valued not women of their own blood: but besides +the women of the Dale, they would go at whiles in bands to the +edges of the Plain and beguile wayfarers, and bring back with +them thence women to be their bed-thralls; albeit some of these +were bought with a price from the Westland men.</p> +<p>As to the number of the folk of Rose-dale, its own folk, he +said they would number some five thousand souls, one with +another; of whom some thousand might be fit to bear arms if they +had the heart thereto, as they had none. Yet being closely +questioned, he deemed that they might fall on their masters from +behind, if battle were joined.</p> +<p>He said that the folk of Rose-dale had been a goodly folk +before they were enthralled, and peaceable with one another, but +that now it was a sport of the Dusky Men to set a match between +their thralls to fight it out with sword and buckler or +otherwise; and the vanquished man, if he were not sore hurt, they +would scourge, or shear some member from him, or even slay him +outright, if the match between the owners were so made. And +many other sad and grievous tales he told to Face-of-god, more +than need be told again; so that the War-leader went along sorry +and angry, with his teeth set, and his hand on the +sword-hilt.</p> +<p>Thus they went till night fell on them, and they could scarce +see the signs they had made on their outward journey. Then +they made stay in a little valley, having set a watch duly; and +since they were by this time far from Rose-dale, and were a great +company as regarded scattered bands of the foe, they lighted +their fires and cooked their venison, and made good cheer to the +Runaways, and so went to sleep in the wild-wood.</p> +<p>When morning was come they gat them at once to the road; and +if the Burgdalers were eager to be out of the wood, their +eagerness was as nought to the eagerness of the Runaways, most of +whom could not be easy now, and deemed every minute lost unless +they were wending on to the Dale; so that this day they <a +name="page211"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 211</span>were +willing to get over the more ground, whereas they had not set out +on their road till afternoon yesterday.</p> +<p>Howsoever, they rested at noontide, and Face-of-god bade +Dallach bring him to speech with others of the Runaways, and +first that he might talk with those three men of the kindreds who +had fled from Silver-dale in early days. So Dallach brought +them to him; but he found that though they spake the tongue, they +were so few-spoken from wildness and loneliness, at least at +first, that nought could come from them that was not dragged from +them.</p> +<p>These men said that they had been in the wood more than nine +years, so that they knew but little of the conditions of the Dale +in that present day. However, as to what Dallach had said +concerning the Dusky Men, they strengthened his words; and they +said that the Dusky Men took no delight save in beholding +torments and misery, and that they doubted if they were men or +trolls. They said that since they had dwelt in the wood +they had slain not a few of the foemen, waylaying them as +occasion served, but that in this warfare they had lost two of +their fellows. When Face-of-god asked them of their deeming +of the numbers of the Dusky Men, they said that before those +bands had broken into Rose-dale, they counted them, as far as +they could call to mind, at about three thousand men, all +warriors; and that somewhat less than one thousand had gone up +into Rose-dale, and some had died, and many had been cast away in +the wild-wood, their fellows knew not how. Yet had not +their numbers in Silver-dale diminished; because two years after +they (the speakers) had fled, came three more Dusky Companies or +Tribes into Silver-dale, and each of these tribes was of three +long hundreds; and with their coming had the cruelty and misery +much increased in the Dale, so that the thralls began to die +fast; and that drave the Dusky Men beyond the borders of +Silver-dale, so that they fell upon Rose-dale. When asked +how many of the kindreds might yet be abiding in Silver-dale, +their faces clouded, and they seemed exceeding wroth, and +answered, that they would willingly hope <a +name="page212"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 212</span>that most +of those that had not been slain at the time of the overthrow +were now dead, yet indeed they feared there were yet some alive, +and mayhappen not a few women.</p> +<p>By then must they get on foot again, and so the talk fell +between them; but when they made stay for the night, after they +had done their meat, Face-of-god prayed Dallach bring to him some +of the latest-come folk from Silver-dale, and he brought to him +the man and the woman who had been in the Dale within that +moon. As to the man, if those of the Earl-folk had been +few-spoken from fierceness and wildness, he was no less so from +mere dulness and weariness of misery; but the woman’s +tongue went glibly enough, and it seemed to pleasure her to talk +about her past miseries. As aforesaid, she was better clad +than most of those of Rose-dale, and indeed might be called gaily +clad, and where her raiment was befouled or rent, it was from the +roughness of the wood and its weather, and not from the +thralldom. She was a young and fair woman, black-haired and +grey-eyed. She had washed herself that day in a woodland +stream which they had crossed on the road, and had arrayed her +garments as trimly as she might, and had plucked some fumitory, +wherewith she had made a garland for her head. She sat down +on the grass in front of Face-of-god, while the man her mate +stood leaning against a tree and looked on her greedily. +The Burgdale carles drew near to her to hearken her story, and +looked kindly on the twain. She smiled on them, but +especially on Face-of-god, and said:</p> +<p>‘Thou hast sent for me, lord, and I wot well thou +wouldst hear my tale shortly, for it would be long to tell if I +were to tell it fully, and bring into it all that I have endured, +which has been bitter enough, for all that ye see me smooth of +skin and well-liking of body. I have been the bed-thrall of +one of the chieftains of the Dusky Men, at whose house many of +their great men would assemble, so that ye may ask me whatso ye +will; as I have heard much talk and may call it to mind. +Now if ye ask me whether I have fled because of the shame that I, +a free woman <a name="page213"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +213</span>come of free folk, should be a mere thrall in the bed +of the foes of my kin, and with no price paid for me, I must +needs say it is not so; since over long have we of the Dale been +thralls to be ashamed of such a matter. And again, if ye +deem that I have fled because I have been burdened with grievous +toil and been driven thereto by the whip, ye may look on my hands +and my body and ye will see that I have toiled little therewith: +nor again did I flee because I could not endure a few stripes now +and again; for such usage do thralls look for, even when they are +delicately kept for the sake of the fairness of their bodies, and +this they may well endure; yea also, and the mere fear of death +by torment now and again. But before me lay death both +assured and horrible; so I took mine own counsel, and told none +for fear of bewrayal, save him who guarded me; and that was this +man; who fled not from fear, but from love of me, and to him I +have given all that I might give. So we got out of the +house and down the Dale by night and cloud, and hid for one whole +day in the Dale itself, where I trembled and feared, so that I +deemed I should die of fear; but this man was well pleased with +my company, and with the lack of toil and beating even for the +day. And in the night again we fled and reached the +wild-wood before dawn, and well-nigh fell into the hands of those +who were hunting us, and had outgone us the day before, as we lay +hid. Well, what is to say? They saw us not, else had +we not been here, but scattered piece-meal over the land. +This carle knew the passes of the wood, because he had followed +his master therein, who was a great hunter in the wastes, +contrary to the wont of these men, and he had lain a night on the +burg yonder; therefore he brought me thither, because he knew +that thereabout was plenty of prey easy to take, and he had a bow +with him; and there we fell in with others of our folk who had +fled before, and with Dallach; who e’en now told us what +was hard to believe, that there was a fair young man like one of +the Gods leading a band of goodly warriors, and seeking for us to +bring us into a peaceful and happy land; and this man would <a +name="page214"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 214</span>not have +gone with him because he feared that he might fall into thralldom +of other folk, who would take me away from him; but for me, I +said I would go in any case, for I was weary of the wood and its +roughness and toil, and that if I had a new master he would +scarcely be worse than my old one was at his best, and him I +could endure. So I went, and glad and glad I am, whatever +ye will do with me. And now will I answer whatso ye may ask +of me.’</p> +<p>She laid her limbs together daintily and looked fondly on +Face-of-god, and the carle scowled at her somewhat at first, but +presently, as he watched her, his face smoothed itself out of its +wrinkles.</p> +<p>But Face-of-god pondered a little while, and then asked the +woman if she had heard any words to remember of late days +concerning the affairs of the Dusky Men and their intent; and he +said:</p> +<p>‘I pray thee, sister, be truthful in thine answer, for +somewhat lieth on it.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘How could I speak aught but the sooth to +thee, O lovely lord? The last word spoken hereof I mind me +well: for my master had been mishandling me, and I was sullen to +him after the smart, and he mocked and jeered me, and said: Ye +women deem we cannot do without you, but ye are fools, and know +nothing; we are going to conquer a new land where the women are +plenty, and far fairer than ye be; and we shall leave you to fare +afield like the other thralls, or work in the digging of silver; +and belike ye wot what that meaneth. Also he said that they +would leave us to the new tribe of their folk, far wilder than +they, whom they looked for in the Dale in about a moon’s +wearing; so that they needs must seek to other lands. Also +this same talk would we hear whenever it pleased any of them to +mock us their bed-thralls. Now, my sweet lord, this is +nought but the very sooth.’</p> +<p>Again spake Face-of-god after a while:</p> +<p>‘Tell me, sister, hast thou heard of any of the Dusky +Men being slain in the wood?’</p> +<p><a name="page215"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +215</span>‘Yea,’ she said, and turned pale therewith +and caught her breath as one choking; but said in a little +while:</p> +<p>‘This alone was it hard for me to tell thee amongst all +the I griefs I have borne, whereof I might have told thee many +tales, and will do one day if thou wilt suffer it; but fear makes +this hard for me. For in very sooth this was the cause of +my fleeing, that my master was brought in slain by an arrow in +the wood; and he was to be borne to bale and burned in three +days’ wearing; and we three bed-thralls of his, and three +of the best of the men-thralls, were to be burned quick on his +bale-fire after sore torments; therefore I fled, and hid a knife +in my bosom, that I might not be taken alive; but sweet was life +to me, and belike I should not have smitten myself.’</p> +<p>And she wept sore for pity of herself before them all. +But Face-of-god said:</p> +<p>‘Knowest thou, sister, by whom the man was +slain?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, still sobbing; ‘but I heard +nought thereof, nor had I noted it in my terror. The death +of others, who were slain before him, and the loss of many, we +knew not how, made them more bitterly cruel with us.’</p> +<p>And again was she weeping; but Face-of-god said kindly to her: +‘Weep no more, sister, for now shall all thy troubles be +over; I feel in my heart that we shall overcome these felons, and +make an end of them, and there then is Burgdale for thee in its +length and breadth, or thine own Dale to dwell in +freely.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, ‘never will I go back +thither!’ and she turned round to him and kissed his feet, +and then arose and turned a little toward her mate; and the carle +caught her by the hand and led her away, and seemed glad so to +do.</p> +<p>So once again they fell asleep in the woods, and again the +next morning fared on their way early that they might come into +Burgdale before nightfall. When they stayed a while at +noontide and ate, Face-of-god again had talk with the Runaways, +and this time with those of Rose-dale, and he heard much the same +story <a name="page216"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +216</span>from them that he had heard before, told in divers +ways, till his heart was sick with the hearing of it.</p> +<p>On this last day Face-of-god led his men well athwart the +wood, so that he hit Wildlake’s Way without coming to +Carl-stead; and he came down into the Dale some four hours after +noon on a bright day of latter March. At the ingate to the +Dale he found watches set, the men whereof told him that the +tidings were not right great. Hall-face’s company had +fallen in with a band of the Felons three score in number in the +oak-wood nigh to Boars-bait, and had slain some and chased the +rest, since they found it hard to follow them home as they ran +for the tangled thicket: of the Burgdalers had two been slain and +five hurt in this battle.</p> +<p>As for Red-coat’s company, they had fallen in with no +foemen.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIX. THEY BRING THE RUNAWAYS TO +BURGSTEAD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">So</span> now being out of the wood, they +went peaceably and safely along the Portway, the Runaways +mingling with the Dalesmen. Strange showed amidst the +health and wealth of the Dale the rags and misery and nakedness +of the thralls, like a dream amidst the trim gaiety of spring; +and whomsoever they met, or came up with on the road, whatso his +business might be, could not refrain himself from following them, +but mingled with the men-at-arms, and asked them of the tidings; +and when they heard who these poor people were, even delivered +thralls of the Foemen, they were glad at heart and cried out for +joy; and many of the women, nay, of the men also, when they first +came across that misery from out the heart of their own pleasant +life, wept for pity and love of the poor folk, now at last set +free, and blessed the swords that should do the like by the whole +people.</p> +<p>They went slowly as men began to gather about them; yea, <a +name="page217"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 217</span>some of the +good folk that lived hard by must needs fare home to their houses +to fetch cakes and wine for the guests; and they made them sit +down and rest on the green grass by the side of the Portway, and +eat and drink to cheer their hearts; others, women and young +swains, while they rested went down into the meadows and plucked +of the spring flowers, and twined them hastily with deft and +well-wont fingers into chaplets and garlands for their heads and +bodies. Thus indeed they covered their nakedness, till the +lowering faces and weather-beaten skins of those hardly-entreated +thralls looked grimly out from amidst the knots of cowslip and +oxlip, and the branches of the milk-white blackthorn bloom, and +the long trumpets of the daffodils, of the hue that wrappeth +round the quill which the webster takes in hand when she would +pleasure her soul with the sight of the yellow growing upon the +dark green web.</p> +<p>So they went on again as the evening was waning, and when they +were gotten within a furlong of the Gate, lo! there was come the +minstrelsy, the pipe and the tabor, the fiddle and the harp, and +the folk that had learned to sing the sweetest, both men and +women, and Redesman at the head of them all.</p> +<p>Then fell the throng into an ordered company; first went the +music, and then a score of Face-of-god’s warriors with +drawn swords and uplifted spears; and then the flower-bedecked +misery of the Runaways, men and women going together, gaunt, +befouled, and hollow-eyed, with here and there a flushed cheek or +gleaming eye, or tear-bedewed face, as the joy and triumph of the +eve pierced through their wonted weariness of grief; then the +rest of the warriors, and lastly the mingled crowd of Dalesfolk, +tall men and fair women gaily arrayed, clean-faced, +clear-skinned, and sleek-haired, with glancing eyes and ruddy +lips.</p> +<p>And now Redesman turned about to the music and drew his bow +across his fiddle, and the other bows ran out in concert, and the +harps followed the story of them, and he lifted up his voice and +sang the words of an old song, and all the singers joined him <a +name="page218"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 218</span>and blended +their voices with his. And these are some of the words +which they sang:</p> +<p class="poetry">Lo! here is Spring, and all we are living,<br +/> + We that were wan with Winter’s fear;<br /> +Reach out your hands to her hands that are giving,<br /> + Lest ye lose her love and the light of the year.</p> +<p class="poetry">Many a morn did we wake to sorrow,<br /> + When low on the land the cloud-wrath lay;<br /> +Many an eve we feared to-morrow,<br /> + The unbegun unfinished day.</p> +<p class="poetry">Ah we—we hoped not, and thou wert +tardy;<br /> + Nought wert thou helping; nought we prayed.<br /> +Where was the eager heart, the hardy?<br /> + Where was the sweet-voiced unafraid?</p> +<p class="poetry">But now thou lovest, now thou leadest,<br /> + Where is gone the grief of our minds?<br /> +What was the word of the tale, that thou heedest<br /> + E’en as the breath of the bygone winds?</p> +<p class="poetry">Green and green is thy garment growing<br /> + Over thy blossoming limbs beneath;<br /> +Up o’er our feet rise the blades of thy sowing,<br /> + Pierced are our hearts with thine odorous +breath.</p> +<p class="poetry">But where art thou wending, thou new-comer?<br +/> + Hurrying on to the Courts of the Sun?<br /> +Where art thou now in the House of the Summer?<br /> + Told are thy days and thy deed is done.</p> +<p class="poetry">Spring has been here for us that are living<br +/> + After the days of Winter’s fear;<br /> +<a name="page219"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 219</span>Here in +our hands is the wealth of her giving,<br /> + The Love of the Earth, and the Light of the +Year.</p> +<p>Thus came they to the Gate, and lo! the Bride thereby, leaning +against a buttress, gazing with no dull eyes at the coming +throng. She was now clad in her woman’s attire again, +to wit a light flame-coloured gown over a green kirtle; but she +yet bore a gilded helm on her head and a sword girt to her side +in token of her oath to the God. She had been in +Hall-face’s company in that last battle, and had done a +man’s service there, fighting very valiantly, but had not +been hurt, and had come back to Burgstead when the shift of men +was.</p> +<p>Now she drew herself up and stood a little way before the Gate +and looked forth on the throng, and when her eyes beheld the +Runaways amidst of the weaponed carles of Burgdale, her face +flushed, and her eyes filled with tears as she stood, partly +wondering, partly deeming what they were. She waited till +Stone-face came by her, and then she took the old man by the +sleeve, and drew him apart a little and said to him: ‘What +meaneth this show, my friend? Who hath clad these folk thus +strangely; and who be these three naked tall ones, so +fierce-looking, but somewhat noble of aspect?’</p> +<p>For indeed those three men of the kindreds, when they had +gotten into the Dale, and had rested them, and drunk a cup of +wine, and when they had seen the chaplets and wreaths of the +spring-flowers wherewith they were bedecked, and had smelt the +sweet savour of them, fell to walking proudly, heeding not their +nakedness; for no rag had they upon them save breech-clouts of +deer-skin: they had changed weapons with the Burgdale carles; and +one had gotten a great axe, which he bore over his shoulder, and +the shaft thereof was all done about with copper; and another had +shouldered a long heavy thrusting-spear, and the third, an +exceeding tall man, bore a long broad-bladed war-sword. +Thus they went, brown of skin beneath their flower-garlands, +their long hair <a name="page220"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +220</span>bleached by the sun falling about their shoulders; high +they strode amongst the shuffling carles and tripping women of +the later-come thralls. But when they heard the music, and +saw that they were coming to the Gate in triumph, strange +thoughts of old memories swelled up in their hearts, and they +refrained them not from weeping, for they felt that the joy of +life had come back to them.</p> +<p>Nor must it be deemed that these were the only ones amongst +the Runaways whose hearts were cheered and softened: already were +many of them coming back to life, as they felt their worn bodies +caressed by the clear soft air of Burgdale, and the sweetness of +the flowers that hung about them, and saw all round about the +kind and happy faces of their well-willers.</p> +<p>So Stone-face looked on the Bride as she stood with face yet +tear-bedewed, awaiting his answer, and said:</p> +<p>‘Daughter, thou sayest who clad these folk thus? +It was misery that hath so dight them; and they are the images of +what we shall be if we love foul life better than fair death, and +so fall into the hands of the Felons, who were the masters of +these men. As for the tall naked men, they are of our own +blood, and kinsmen to Face-of-god’s new friends; and they +are of the best of the vanquished: it was in early days that they +fled from thralldom; as we may have to do. Now, daughter, I +bid thee be as joyous as thou art valiant, and then shall all be +well.’</p> +<p>Therewith she smiled on him, and he departed, and she stood a +little while, as the throng moved on and was swallowed by the +Gate, and looked after them; and for all her pity for the other +folk, she thought chiefly of those fearless tall men who were of +the blood of those with whom it was lawful to wed.</p> +<p>There she stood as the wind dried the tears upon her cheeks, +thinking of the sorrow which these folk had endured, and their +stripes and mocking, their squalor and famine; and she wondered +and looked on her own fair and shapely hands with the precious +finger-rings thereon, and on the dainty cloth and trim broidery +of her sleeve; and she touched her smooth cheek with the back <a +name="page221"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 221</span>of her +hand, and smiled, and felt the spring sweet in her mouth, and its +savour goodly in her nostrils; and therewith she called to mind +the aspect of her lovely body, as whiles she had seen it imaged, +all its full measure, in the clear pool at midsummer, or +piece-meal, in the shining steel of the Westland mirror. +She thought also with what joy she drew the breath of life, yea, +even amidst of grief, and of how sweet and pure and well-nurtured +she was, and how well beloved of many friends and the whole folk, +and she set all this beside those woeful bodies and lowering +faces, and felt shame of her sorrow of heart, and the pain it had +brought to her; and ever amidst shame and pity of all that misery +rose up before her the images of those tall fierce men, and it +seemed to her as if she had seen something like to them in some +dream or imagination of her mind.</p> +<p>So came the Burgdalers and their guests into the street of +Burgstead amidst music and singing; and the throng was great +there. Then Face-of-god bade make a ring about the +strangers, and they did so, and he and the Runaways alone were in +the midst of it; and he spake in a loud voice and said:</p> +<p>‘Men of the Dale and the Burg, these folk whom here ye +see in such a sorry plight are they whom our deadly foes have +rejoiced to torment; let us therefore rejoice to cherish +them. Now let those men come forth who deem that they have +enough and more, so that they may each take into their houses +some two or three of these friends such as would be fain to be +together. And since I am War-leader, and have the right +hereto, I will first choose them whom I will lead into the House +of the Face. And lo you! will I have this man (and he laid +his hand on Dallach),who is he whom I first came across, and who +found us all these others, and next I will have yonder tall +carles, the three of them, because I perceive them to be men meet +to be with a War-leader, and to follow him in battle.’</p> +<p>Therewith he drew the three Men of the Wolf towards him, but +Dallach already was standing beside him. And folk rejoiced +in Face-of-god.</p> +<p><a name="page222"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 222</span>But +the Bride came forward next, and spake to him meekly and +simply:</p> +<p>‘War-leader, let me have of the women those who need me +most, that I may bring them to the House of the Steer, and try if +there be not some good days yet to be found for them, wherein +they shall but remember the past grief as an ugly +dream.’</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god looked on her, and him-seemed he had never +seen her so fair; and all the shame wherewith he had beheld her +of late was gone from him, and his heart ran over with friendly +love towards her as she looked into his face with kindly eyes; +and he said:</p> +<p>‘Kinswoman, take thy choice as thy kindness biddeth, and +happy shall they be whom thou choosest.’</p> +<p>She bowed her head soberly, and chose from among the guests +four women of the saddest and most grievous, and no man of their +kindred spake for going along with them; then she went her ways +home, leading one of them by the hand, and strange was it to see +those twain going through sun and shade together, that poor +wretch along with the goodliest of women.</p> +<p>Then came forward one after other of the worthy goodmen of the +Dale, and especially such as were old, and they led away one one +man, and another two, and another three, and often would a man +crave to go with a woman or a woman with a man, and it was not +gainsaid them. So were all the guests apportioned, and +ill-content were those goodmen that had to depart without a +guest; and one man would say to another: ‘Such-an-one, be +not downcast; this guest shall be between us, if he will, and +shall dwell with thee and me month about; but this first month +with me, since I was first comer.’ And so forth was +it said.</p> +<p>Now to prevent the time to come, it may be said about the +Runaways, that when they had been a little while amongst the +Burgdalers, well fed and well clad and kindly cherished, it was +marvellous how they were bettered in aspect of body, and it began +<a name="page223"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 223</span>to be +seen of them that they were well-favoured people, and divers of +the women exceeding goodly, black-haired and grey-eyed, and very +clear-skinned and white-skinned; most of them were young, and the +oldest had not seen above forty winters. They of Rose-dale, +and especially such as had first fled away to the wood, were very +soon seen to be merry and kindly folk; but they who had been +longest in captivity, and notably those from Silver-dale who were +not of the kindreds, were for a long time sullen and heavy, and +it availed little to trust to them for the doing of work; albeit +they would follow about their friends of Burgdale with the love +of a dog; also they were, divers of them, somewhat thievish, and +if they lacked anything would liefer take it by stealth than ask +for it; which forsooth the Burgdale men took not amiss, but +deemed of it as a jest rather.</p> +<p>Very few of the Runaways had any will to fare back to their +old homes, or indeed could be got to go into the wood, or, after +a day or two, to say any word of Rose-dale or Silver-dale. +In this and other matters the Burgdalers dealt with them as with +children who must have their way; for they deemed that their +guests had much time to make up; also they were well content when +they saw how goodly they were, for these Dalesmen loved to see +men goodly of body and of a cheerful countenance.</p> +<p>As for Dallach and the three Silver-dale men of the kindred, +they went gladly whereas the Burgdale men would have them; and +half a score others took weapons in their hands when the war was +foughten: concerning which more hereafter.</p> +<p>But on the even whereof the tale now tells, Face-of-god and +Stone-face and their company met after nightfall in the Hall of +the Face clad in glorious raiment, and therewith were Dallach and +the men of Silver-dale, washen and docked of their long hair, +after the fashion of warriors who bear the helm; and they were +clad in gay attire, with battle-swords girt to their sides and +gold rings on their arms. Somewhat stern and sad-eyed were +those Silver-dalers yet, though they looked on those about them +kindly <a name="page224"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +224</span>and courteously when they met their eyes; and +Face-of-god yearned towards them when he called to mind the +beauty and wisdom and loving-kindness of the Sun-beam. They +were, as aforesaid, strong men and tall, and one of them taller +than any amidst that house of tall men. Their names were +Wolf-stone, the tallest, and God-swain, and Spear-fist; and +God-swain the youngest was of thirty winters, and Wolf-stone of +forty. They came into the Hall in such wise, that when they +were washed and attired, and all men were assembled in the Hall, +and the Alderman and the chieftains sitting on the daïs, +Face-of-god brought them in from the out-bower, holding Dallach +by the right hand and Wolf-stone by the left; and he looked but a +stripling beside that huge man.</p> +<p>And when the men in the Hall beheld such goodly warriors, and +remembered their grief late past, they all stood up and shouted +for joy of them. But Face-of-god passed up the Hall with +them, and stood before the daïs and said:</p> +<p>‘O Alderman of the Dale and Chief of the House of the +Face, here I bring to you the foes of our foemen, whom I have met +in the Wild-wood, and bidden to our House; and meseemeth they +will be our friends, and stand beside us in the day of +battle. Therefore I say, take these guests and me together, +or put us all to the door together; and if thou wilt take them, +then show them to such places as thou deemest meet.’</p> +<p>Then stood up the Alderman and said:</p> +<p>‘Men of Silver-dale and Rose-dale, I bid you +welcome! Be ye our friends, and abide here with us as long +as seemeth good to you, and share in all that is ours. Son +Face-of-god, show these warriors to seats on the daïs beside +thee, and cherish them as well as thou knowest how.’</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god brought them up on to the daïs and sat +down on the right hand of his father, with Dallach on his right +hand, and then Wolf-stone out from him; then sat Stone-face, that +there might be a man of the Dale to talk with them and <a +name="page225"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 225</span>serve them; +and on his right hand first Spear-fist and then God-swain. +And when they were all sat down, and the meat was on the board, +Iron-face turned to his son Face-of-god and took his hand, and +said in a loud voice, so that many might hear him:</p> +<p>‘Son Face-of-god, son Gold-mane, thou bearest with thee +both ill luck and good. Erewhile, when thou wanderedst out +into the Wild-wood, seeking thou knewest not what from out of the +Land of Dreams, thou didst but bring aback to us grief and shame; +but now that thou hast gone forth with the neighbours seeking thy +foemen, thou hast come aback to us with thine hands full of +honour and joy for us, and we thank thee for thy gifts, and I +call thee a lucky man. Herewith, kinsman, I drink to thee +and the lasting of thy luck.’</p> +<p>Therewith he stood up and drank the health of the War-leader +and the Guests: and all men were exceeding joyous thereat, when +they called to mind his wrath at the Gate-thing, and they shouted +for gladness as they drank that health, and the feast became +exceeding merry in the House of the Face; and as to the war to +come, it seemed to them as if it were over and done in all +triumph.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXX. HALL-FACE GOETH TOWARD ROSE-DALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> the morrow Face-of-god took +counsel with Hall-face and Stone-face as to what were best to be +done, and they sat on the daïs in the Hall to talk it +over.</p> +<p>Short was the time that had worn since that day in Shadowy +Vale, for it was but eight days since then; yet so many things +had befallen in that time, and, to speak shortly, the outlook for +the Burgdalers had changed so much, that the time seemed long to +all the three, and especially to Face-of-god.</p> +<p>It was yet twenty days till the Great Folk-mote should +beholden, <a name="page226"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +226</span>and to Hall-face the time seemed long enough to do +somewhat, and he deemed it were good to gather force and fall on +the Dusky Men in Rose-dale, since now they had gotten men who +could lead them the nighest way and by the safest passes, and who +knew all the ways of the foemen. But to Stone-face this +rede seemed not so good; for they would have to go and come back, +and fight and conquer, in less time than twenty days, or be +belated of the Folk-mote, and meanwhile much might happen.</p> +<p>‘For,’ said Stone-face, ‘we may deem the +fighting-men of Rose-dale to be little less than one thousand, +and however we fall on them, even if it be unawares at first, +they shall fight stubbornly; so that we may not send against them +many less than they be, and that shall strip Burgdale of its +fighting-men, so that whatever befalls, we that be left shall +have to bide at home.’</p> +<p>Now was Face-of-god of the same mind as Stone-face; and he +said moreover: ‘When we go to Rose-dale we must abide there +a while unless we be overthrown. For if ye conquer it and +come away at once, presently shall the tidings come to the ears +of the Dusky Men in Silver-dale, and they shall join themselves +to those of Rose-dale who have fled before you, and between them +they shall destroy the unhappy people therein; for ye cannot take +them all away with you: and that shall they do all the more now, +when they look to have new thralls in Burgdale, both men and +women. And this we may not suffer, but must abide till we +have met all our foemen and have overcome them, so that the poor +folk there shall be safe from them till they have learned how to +defend their dale. Now my rede is, that we send out the +War-arrow at once up and down the Dale, and to the Shepherds and +Woodlanders, and appoint a day for the Muster and Weapon-show of +all our Folk, and that day to be the day before the Spring +Market, that is to say, four days before the Great Folk-mote, and +meantime that we keep sure watch about the border of the wood, +and now and again scour the wood, so as to clear the Dale of +their wandering bands.’</p> +<p><a name="page227"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +227</span>‘Yea,’ said Hall-face; ‘and I pray +thee, brother, let me have an hundred of men and thy Dallach, and +let us go somewhat deep into the wood towards Rose-dale, and see +what we may come across; peradventure it might be something +better than hart or wild-swine.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘I see no harm therein, if Dallach +goeth with thee freely; for I will have no force put on him or +any other of the Runaways. Yet meseemeth it were not ill +for thee to find the road to Rose-dale; for I have it in my mind +to send a company thither to give those Rose-dale man-quellers +somewhat to do at home when we fall upon Silver-dale. +Therefore go find Dallach, and get thy men together at once; for +the sooner thou art gone on thy way the better. But this I +bid thee, go no further than three days out, that ye may be back +home betimes.’</p> +<p>At this word Hall-face’s eyes gleamed with joy, and he +went out from the Hall straightway and sought Dallach, and found +him at the Gate. Iron-face had given him a new sword, a +good one, and had bidden him call it Thicket-clearer, and he +would not leave it any moment of the day or night, but would lay +it under his pillow at night as a child does with a new toy; and +now he was leaning against a buttress and drawing the said sword +half out of the scabbard and poring over its blade, which was +indeed fair enough, being wrought with dark grey waving lines +like the eddies of the Weltering Water.</p> +<p>So Hall-face greeted him, and smiled and said:</p> +<p>‘Guest, if thou wilt, thou may’st take that new +blade of my father’s work which thou lovest so, a journey +which shall rejoice it.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Dallach, ‘I suppose that thou +wouldest fare on thy brother’s footsteps, and deemest that +I am the man to lead thee on the road, and even farther than he +went; and though it might be thought by some that I have seen +enough of Rose-dale and the parts thereabout for one while, yet +will I go with thee; for now am I a man again, body and +soul.’</p> +<p>And therewith he drew Thicket-clearer right out of his sheath +<a name="page228"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 228</span>and +waved him in the air. And Hall-face was glad of him and +said he was well apaid of his help. So they went away +together to gather men, and on the morrow Hall-face departed and +went into the Wild-wood with Dallach and an hundred and two score +men.</p> +<p>But as for Face-of-god, he fared up and down the Dale +following the War-arrow, and went into all houses, and talked +with the folk, both young and old, men and women, and told them +closely all that had betid and all that was like to betide; and +he was well pleased with that which he saw and heard; for all +took his words well, and were nought afeard or dismayed by the +tidings; and he saw that they would not hang aback. +Meantime the days wore, and Hall-face came not back till the +seventh day, and he brought with him twelve more Runaways, of +whom five were women. But he had lost four men, and had +with him Dallach and five others of the Dalesmen borne upon +litters sore hurt; and this was his story:</p> +<p>They got to the Burg of the Runaways on the forenoon of the +third day, and thereby came on five carles of the +Runaways—men who had missed meeting Dallach that other day, +but knew what had been done; for one of them had been sick and +could not come with him, and he had told the others: so now they +were hanging about the Burg of the Runaways hoping somewhat that +he might come again; and they met the Burgdalers full of joy, and +brought them trouts that they had caught in the river.</p> +<p>As for the other runaways, namely, five women and two more +carles—they had gotten them close to the entrance into +Silver-dale, where by night and cloud they came on a campment of +the Dusky Men, who were leading home these seven poor wretches, +runaways whom they had caught, that they might slay them most +evilly in Rose-stead. So Hall-face fell on the Dusky Men, +and delivered their captives, but slew not all the foe, and they +that fled brought pursuers on them who came up with them the next +day, so near was Rose-dale, though they made all diligence +homeward. The <a name="page229"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 229</span>Burgdalers must needs turn and fight +with those pursuers, and at last they drave them aback so that +they might go on their ways home. They let not the grass +grow beneath their feet thereafter, till they were assured by +meeting a band of the Woodlanders, who had gone forth to help +them, and with whom they rested a little. But neither so +were they quite done with the foemen, who came upon them next day +a very many: these however they and the Woodlanders, who were all +fresh and unwounded and very valiant, speedily put to the worse; +and so they came on to Burgstead, leaving those of them who were +sorest hurt to be tended by the Woodlanders at Carlstead, who, as +might be looked for, deal with them very lovingly.</p> +<p>It was in the first fight that they suffered that loss of +slain and wounded; and therein the newly delivered thralls fought +valiantly against their masters: as for Dallach, it was no +marvel, said Hall-face, that he was hurt; but rather a marvel +that he was not slain, so little he recked of point and edge, if +he might but slay the foemen.</p> +<p>Such was Hall-face’s-tale; and Face-of-god deemed that +he had done unwisely to let him go that journey; for the slaying +of a few Dusky Men was but a light gain to set against the loss +of so many Burgdalers; yet was he glad of the deliverance of +those Runaways, and deemed it a gain indeed. But henceforth +would he hold all still till he should have tidings of +Folk-might; so nought was done thereafter save the warding of the +Dale, from the country of the Shepherds to the Waste above the +Eastern passes.</p> +<p>But Face-of-god himself went up amongst the Shepherds, and +abode with a goodman hight Hound-under-Greenbury, who gathered to +him the folk from the country-side, and they went up on to +Greenbury, and sat on the green grass while he spoke with them +and told them, as he had told the others, what had been done and +what should be done. And they heard him gladly, and he +deemed that there would be no blenching in them, for they were +all in one tale to live and die with their friends of Burgdale, +<a name="page230"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 230</span>and they +said that they would have no other word save that to bear to the +Great Folk-mote.</p> +<p>So he went away well-pleased, and he fared on thence to the +Woodlanders, and guested at the house of a valiant man hight +Wargrove, who on the morrow morn called the folk together to a +green lawn of the Wild-wood, so that there was scarce a soul of +them that was not there. Then he laid the whole matter +before them; and if the Dalesmen had been merry and ready, and +the Shepherds stout-hearted and friendly, yet were the +Wood-landers more eager still, so that every hour seemed long to +them till they stood in their war-gear; and they told him that +now at last was the hour drawing nigh which they had dreamed of, +but had scarce dared to hope for, when the lost way should be +found, and the crooked made straight, and that which had been +broken should be mended; that their meat and drink, and sleeping +and waking, and all that they did were now become to them but the +means of living till the day was come whereon the two remnants of +the children of the Wolf should meet and become one Folk to live +or die together.</p> +<p>Then went Face-of-god back to Burgstead again, and as he stood +anigh the Thing-stead once more, and looked down on the Dale as +he had beheld it last autumn, he bethought him that with all that +had been done and all that had been promised, the earth was +clearing of her trouble, and that now there was nought betwixt +him and the happy days of life which the Dale should give to the +dwellers therein, save the gathering hosts of the battle-field +and the day when the last word should be spoken and the first +stroke smitten. So he went down on to the Portway well +content.</p> +<p>Thereafter till the day of the Weapon-show there is nought to +tell of, save that Dallach and the other wounded men began to +grow whole again; and all men sat at home, or went on the +woodland ward, expecting great tidings after the holding of the +Folk-mote.</p> +<h2><a name="page231"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +231</span>CHAPTER XXXI. OF THE WEAPON-SHOW OF THE MEN OF +BURGDALE AND THEIR NEIGHBOURS.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> on the day appointed for the +Weapon-show came the Folk flock-meal to the great and wide meadow +that was cleft by Wildlake as it ran to join the Weltering +Water. Early in the morning, even before sunrise, had the +wains full of women and children begun to come thither. +Also there came little horses and asses from the Shepherd country +with one or two or three damsels or children sitting on each, and +by wain-side or by beast strode the men of the house, merry and +fair in their war-gear. The Woodlanders, moreover, man and +woman, elder and swain and young damsel, streamed out of the wood +from Carlstead, eager to make the day begin before the sunrise, +and end before his setting.</p> +<p>Then all men fell to pitching of tents and tilting over of +wains; for the April sun was hot in the Dale, and when he arose +the meads were gay with more than the spring flowers; for the +tents and the tilts were stained and broidered with many colours, +and there was none who had not furbished up his war-gear so that +all shone and glittered. And many wore gay surcoats over +their armour, and the women were clad in all their bravery, and +the Houses mostly of a suit; for one bore blue and another +corn-colour, and another green, and another brazil, and so forth, +and all gleaming and glowing with broidery of gold and bright +hues. But the women of the Shepherds were all clad in +white, embroidered with green boughs and red blossoms, and the +Woodland women wore dark red kirtles. Moreover, the women +had set garlands of flowers on their heads and the helms of the +men, and for the most part they were slim of body and tall and +light-limbed, and as dainty to look upon as the willow-boughs +that waved on the brook-side.</p> +<p>Thither had the goodmen who were guesting the Runaways brought +their guests, even now much bettered by their new soft days; and +much the poor folk marvelled at all this joyance, and <a +name="page232"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 232</span>they scarce +knew where they were; but to some it brought back to their minds +days of joyance before the thralldom and all that they had lost, +so that their hearts were heavy a while, till they saw the +warriors of the kindreds streaming into the mead and bethought +them why they carried steel.</p> +<p>Now by then the sun was fully up there was a great throng on +the Portway, and this was the folk of the Burg on their way to +the Weapon-mead. The men-at-arms were in the midst of the +throng, and at the head of them was the War-leader, with the +banner of the Face before him, wherein was done the image of the +God with the ray-ringed head. But at the rearward of the +warriors went the Alderman and the Burg-wardens, before whom was +borne the banner of the Burg pictured with the Gate and its +Towers; but in the midst betwixt those two was the banner of the +Steer, a white beast on a green field.</p> +<p>So when the Dale-wardens who were down in the meadow heard the +music and beheld who were coming, they bade the companies of the +Dale and the Shepherds and the Woodlanders who were down there to +pitch their banners in a half circle about the ingle of the +meadow which was made by the streams of Wildlake and the +Weltering Water, and gather to them to be ordered there under +their leaders of scores and half-hundreds and hundreds; and even +so they did. But the banners of the Dale without the Burg +were the Bridge, and the Bull, and the Vine, and the +Sickle. And the Shepherds had three banners, to wit +Greenbury, and the Fleece, and the Thorn.</p> +<p>As for the Woodlanders, they said that they were abiding their +great banner, but it should come in good time; ‘and +meantime,’ said they, ‘here are the war-tokens that +we shall fight under; for they are good enough banners for us +poor men, the remnant of the valiant of time past.’ +Therewith they showed two great spears, and athwart the one was +tied an arrow, its point dipped in blood, its feathers singed +with fire; and they said, ‘This is the banner of the +War-shaft.’</p> +<p><a name="page233"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 233</span>On +the other spear there was nought; but the head thereof was great +and long, and they had so burnished the steel that the sun smote +out a ray of light from it, so that it might be seen from +afar. And they said: ‘This is the Banner of the +Spear! Down yonder where the ravens are gathering ye shall +see a banner flying over us. There shall fall many a +mother’s son.’</p> +<p>Smiled the Dale-wardens, and said that these were good banners +to fight under; and those that stood nearby shouted for the +valiancy of the Woodland Carles.</p> +<p>Now the Dale-wardens went to the entrance from the Portway to +the meadow, and there met the Men of the Burg, and two of them +went one on either side of the War-leader to show him to his +seat, and the others abode till the Alderman and Burg-wardens +came up, and then joined themselves to them, and the horns blew +up both in the meadow and on the road, and the new-comers went +their ways to their appointed places amidst the shouts of the +Dalesmen; and the women and children and old men from the Burg +followed after, till all the mead was covered with bright raiment +and glittering gear, save within the ring of men at the further +end.</p> +<p>So came the War-leader to his seat of green turf raised in the +ingle aforesaid; and he stood beside it till the Alderman and +Wardens had taken their places on a seat behind him raised higher +than his; below him on the step of his seat sat the Scrivener +with his pen and ink-horn and scroll of parchment, and men had +brought him a smooth shield whereon to write.</p> +<p>On the left side of Face-of-god stood the men of the Face all +glittering in their arms, and amongst them were Wolf-stone and +his two fellows, but Dallach was not yet whole of his +hurts. On his right were the folk of the House of the +Steer: the leader of that House was an old white-bearded man, +grandfather of the Bride, for her father was dead; and who but +the Bride herself stood beside him in her glorious war-gear, +looking as if she were new come from the City of the Gods, +thought most men; but <a name="page234"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 234</span>those who beheld her closely deemed +that she looked heavy-eyed and haggard, as if she were +aweary. Nevertheless, wheresoever she passed, and whosoever +looked on her (and all men looked on her), there arose a murmur +of praise and love; and the women, and especially the young ones, +said how fair her deed was, and how meet she was for it; and some +of them were for doing on war-gear and faring to battle with the +carles; and of these some were sober and solemn, as was well seen +afterwards, and some spake lightly: some also fell to boasting of +how they could run and climb and swim and shoot in the bow, and +fell to baring of their arms to show how strong they were: and +indeed they were no weaklings, though their arms were fair.</p> +<p>There then stood the ring of men, each company under its +banner; and beyond them stood the women and children and men +unmeet for battle; and beyond them again the tilted wains and the +tents.</p> +<p>Now Face-of-god sat him down on the turf-seat with his bright +helm on his head and his naked sword across his knees, while the +horns blew up loudly, and when they had done, the elder of the +Dale-wardens cried out for silence. Then again arose +Face-of-god and said:</p> +<p>‘Men of the Dale, and ye friends of the Shepherds, and +ye, O valiant Woodlanders; we are not assembled here to take +counsel, for in three days’ time shall the Great Folk-mote +be holden, whereat shall be counsel enough. But since I +have been appointed your Chief and War-leader, till such time as +the Folk-mote shall either yeasay or naysay my leadership, I have +sent for you that we may look each other in the face and number +our host and behold our weapons, and see if we be meet for battle +and for the dealing with a great host of foemen. For now no +longer can it be said that we are going to war, but rather that +war is on our borders, and we are blended with it; as many have +learned to their cost; for some have been slain and some sorely +hurt. Therefore I bid you now, all ye that are weaponed, +wend past us <a name="page235"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +235</span>that the tale of you may be taken. But first let +every hundred-leader and half-hundred-leader and score-leader +make sure that he hath his tale aright, and give his word to the +captain of his banner that he in turn may give it out to the +Scrivener with his name and the House and Company that he +leadeth.’</p> +<p>So he spake and sat him adown; and the horns blew again in +token that the companies should go past; and the first that came +was Hall-ward of the House of the Steer, and the first of those +that went after him was the Bride, going as if she were his +son.</p> +<p>So he cried out his name, and the name of his House, and said, +‘An hundred and a half,’ and passed forth, his men +following him in most goodly array. Each man was girt with +a good sword and bore a long heavy spear over his shoulder, save +a score who bare bows; and no man lacked a helm, a shield, and a +coat of fence.</p> +<p>Then came a goodly man of thirty winters, and stayed before +the Scrivener and cried out:</p> +<p>‘Write down the House of the Bridge of the Upper Dale at +one hundred, and War-well their leader.’</p> +<p>And he strode on, and his men followed clad and weaponed like +those of the Steer, save that some had axes hanging to their +girdles instead of swords; and most bore casting-spears instead +of the long spears, and half a score were bowmen.</p> +<p>Then came Fox of Upton leading the men of the Bull of Middale, +an hundred and a half lacking two; very great and tall were his +men, and they also bore long spears, and one score and two were +bowmen.</p> +<p>Then Fork-beard of Lea, a man well on in years, led on the men +of the Vine, an hundred and a half and five men thereto; two +score of them bare bow in hand and were girt with sword; the rest +bore their swords naked in their right hands, and their shields +(which were but small bucklers) hanging at their backs, and in +the left hand each bore two casting-spears. With these went +two doughty women-at-arms among the bowmen, tall and well-knit, +already growing brown with the spring sun, for their <a +name="page236"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 236</span>work lay +among the stocks of the vines on the southward-looking bents.</p> +<p>Next came a tall young man, yellow-haired, with a thin red +beard, and gave himself out for Red-beard of the Knolls; he bore +his father’s name, as the custom of their house was, but +the old man, who had long been head man of the House of the +Sickle, was late dead in his bed, and the young man had not seen +twenty winters. He bade the Scrivener write the tale of the +Men of the Sickle at an hundred and a half, and his folk fared +past the War-leader joyously, being one half of them bowmen; and +fell shooters they were; the other half were girt with swords, +and bore withal long ashen staves armed with great blades curved +inwards, which weapon they called heft-sax.</p> +<p>All these bands, as the name and the tale of them was declared +were greeted with loud shouts from their fellows and the +bystanders; but now arose a greater shout still, as Stone-face, +clad in goodly glittering array, came forth and said:</p> +<p>‘I am Stone-face of the House of the Face, and I bring +with me two hundreds of men with their best war-gear and weapons: +write it down, Scrivener!’</p> +<p>And he strode on like a young man after those who had gone +past, and after him came the tall Hall-face and his men, a +gallant sight to see: two score bowmen girt with swords, and the +others with naked swords waving aloft, and each bearing two +casting-spears in his left hand.</p> +<p>Then came a man of middle age, broad-shouldered, +yellow-haired, blue-eyed, of wide and ruddy countenance, and +after him a goodly company; and again great was the shout that +went up to the heavens; for he said:</p> +<p>‘Scrivener, write down that Hound-under-Greenbury, from +amongst the dwellers in the hills where the sheep feed, leadeth +the men who go under the banner of Greenbury, to the tale of an +hundred and four score.’</p> +<p>Therewith he passed on, and his men followed, stout, stark, <a +name="page237"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 237</span>and +merry-faced, girt with swords, and bearing over their shoulders +long-staved axes, and spears not so long as those which the +Dalesmen bore; and they had but a half score of arrow-shot with +them.</p> +<p>Next came a young man, blue-eyed also, with hair the colour of +flax on the distaff, broad-faced and short-nosed, low of stature, +but very strong-built, who cried out in a loud, cheerful +voice:</p> +<p>‘I am Strongitharm of the Shepherds, and these valiant +men are of the Fleece and the Thorn blended together, for so they +would have it; and their tale is one hundred and two score and +ten.’</p> +<p>Then the men of those kindreds went past merry and shouting, +and they were clad and weaponed like to them of Greenbury, but +had with them a score of bowmen. And all these +Shepherd-folk wore over their hauberks white woollen surcoats +broidered with green and red.</p> +<p>Now again uprose the cry, and there stood before the +War-leader a very tall man of fifty winters, dark-faced and +grey-eyed, and he spake slowly and somewhat softly, and said:</p> +<p>‘War-leader, this is Red-wolf of the Woodlanders leading +the men who go under the sign of the War-shaft, to the number of +an hundred and two.’</p> +<p>Then he passed on, and his men after him, tall, lean, and +silent amidst the shouting. All these men bare bows, for +they were keen hunters; each had at his girdle a little axe and a +wood-knife, and some had long swords withal. They wore, +everyone of the carles, short green surcoats over their coats of +fence; but amongst them were three women who bore like weapons to +the men, but were clad in red kirtles under their hauberks, which +were of good ring-mail gleaming over them from throat to +knee.</p> +<p>Last came another tall man, but young, of twenty-five winters, +and spake:</p> +<p>‘Scrivener, I am Bears-bane of the Woodlanders, and +these that come after me wend under the sign of the Spear, and +they are of the tale of one hundred and seven.’</p> +<p><a name="page238"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 238</span>And +he passed by at once, and his men followed him, clad and weaponed +no otherwise than they of the War-shaft, and with them were two +women.</p> +<p>Now went all those companies back to their banners, and stood +there; and there arose among the bystanders much talk concerning +the Weapon-show, and who were the best arrayed of the +Houses. And of the old men, some spake of past weapon-shows +which they had seen in their youth, and they set them beside this +one, and praised and blamed. So it went on a little while +till the horns blew again, and once more there was silence. +Then arose Face-of-god and said:</p> +<p>‘Men of Burgdale, and ye Shepherd-folk, and ye of the +Woodland, now shall ye wot how many weaponed men we may bring +together for this war. Scrivener, arise and give forth the +tale of the companies, as they have been told unto +you.’</p> +<p>Then the Scrivener stood up on the turf-bench beside +Face-of-god, and spake in a loud voice, reading from his +scroll:</p> +<p>‘Of the Men of Burgdale there have passed by me nine +hundreds and six; of the Shepherds three hundreds and eight and +ten; and of the Woodlanders two hundreds and nine; so that all +told our men are fourteen hundreds and thirty and +three.’</p> +<p>Now in those days men reckoned by long hundreds, so that the +whole tale of the host was one thousand, five hundred, and four +score and one, telling the tale in short hundreds.</p> +<p>When the tale had been given forth and heard, men shouted +again, and they rejoiced that they were so many. For it +exceeded the reckoning which the Alderman had given out at the +Gate-thing. But Face-of-god said:</p> +<p>‘Neighbours, we have held our Weapon-show; but now hold +you ready, each man, for the Hosting toward very battle; for +belike within seven days shall the leaders of hundreds and +twenties summon you to be ready in arms to take whatso fortune +may befall. Now is sundered the Weapon-show. Be ye as +merry to-day as your hearts bid you to be.’</p> +<p><a name="page239"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +239</span>Therewith he came down from his seat with the Alderman +and the Wardens, and they mingled with the good folk of the Dale +and the Shepherds and the Woodlanders, and merry was their +converse there. It yet lacked an hour of noon; so presently +they fell to and feasted in the green meadow, drinking from wain +to wain and from tent to tent; and thereafter they played and +sported in the meads, shooting at the butts and wrestling, and +trying other masteries. Then they fell to dancing one and +all, and so at last to supper on the green grass in great +merriment. Nor might you have known from the demeanour of +any that any threat of evil overhung the Dale. Nay, so glad +were they, and so friendly, that you might rather have deemed +that this was the land whereof tales tell, wherein people die +not, but live for ever, without growing any older than when they +first come thither, unless they be born into the land itself, and +then they grow into fair manhood, and so abide. In sooth, +both the land and the folk were fair enough to be that land and +the folk thereof.</p> +<p>But a little after sunset they sundered, and some fared home; +but many of them abode in the tents and tilted wains, because the +morrow was the first day of the Spring Market: and already were +some of the Westland chapmen come; yea, two of them were with the +bystanders in the meadow; and more were looked for ere the night +was far spent.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXII. THE MEN OF SHADOWY VALE COME TO THE +SPRING MARKET AT BURGSTEAD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> the morrow betimes in the +morning the Westland chapmen, who were now all come, went out +from the House of the Face, where they were ever wont to be +lodged, and set up their booths adown the street betwixt gate and +bridge. Gay was the show; for the booths were tilted over +with painted cloths, and the merchants themselves were clad in +long gowns of <a name="page240"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +240</span>fine cloth; scarlet, and blue, and white, and green, +and black, with broidered welts of gold and silver; and their +knaves were gaily attired in short coats of divers hues, with +silver rings about their arms, and short swords girt to their +sides. People began to gather about these chapmen at once +when they fell to opening their bales and their packs, and +unloading their wains. There had they iron, both in pigs +and forged scrap and nails; steel they had, and silver, both in +ingots and vessel; pearls from over sea; cinnabar and other +colours for staining, such as were not in the mountains: madder +from the marshes, and purple of the sea, and scarlet grain from +the holm-oaks by its edge, and woad from the deep clayey fields +of the plain; silken thread also from the outer ocean, and rare +webs of silk, and jars of olive oil, and fine pottery, and +scented woods, and sugar of the cane. But gold they had +none with them, for that they took there; and for weapons, save a +few silver-gilt toys, they had no market.</p> +<p>So presently they fell to chaffer; for the carles brought them +little bags of the river-borne gold, so that the weights and +scales were at work; others had with them scrolls and tallies to +tell the number of the beasts which they had to sell, and the +chapmen gave them wares therefor without beholding the beasts; +for they wotted that the Dalesmen lied not in chaffer. +While the day was yet young withal came the Dalesmen from the mid +and nether Dale with their wares and set up their booths; and +they had with them flasks and kegs of the wine which they had to +sell; and bales of the good winter-woven cloth, some grey, some +dyed, and pieces of fine linen; and blades of swords, and knives, +and axes of such fashion as the Westland men used; and golden +cups and chains, and fair rings set with mountain-blue stones, +and copper bowls, and vessels gilt and parcel-gilt, and +mountain-blue for staining. There were men of the Shepherds +also with such fleeces as they could spare from the daily chaffer +with the neighbours. And of the Woodlanders were four +carles and a woman with peltries and dressed deer-skins, and a +few pieces <a name="page241"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +241</span>of well-carven wood-work for bedsteads and chairs and +such like.</p> +<p>Soon was the Burg thronged with folk in all its open places, +and all were eager and merry, and it could not have been told +from their demeanour and countenance that the shadow of a +grievous trouble hung over them. True it was that every man +of the Dale and the neighbours was girt with his sword, or bore +spear or axe or other weapon in his hand, and that most had their +bucklers at their backs and their helms on their heads; but this +was ever their custom at all meetings of men, not because they +dreaded war or were fain of strife, but in token that they were +free men, from whom none should take the weapons without +battle.</p> +<p>Such were the folk of the land: as for the chapmen, they were +well-spoken and courteous, and blithe with the folk, as they well +might be, for they had good pennyworths of them; yet they dealt +with them without using measureless lying, as behoved folk +dealing with simple and proud people; and many was the tale they +told of the tidings of the Cities and the Plain.</p> +<p>There amongst the throng was the Bride in her maiden’s +attire, but girt with the sword, going from booth to booth with +her guests of the Runaways, and doing those poor people what +pleasure she might, and giving them gifts from the goods there, +such as they set their hearts on. And the more part of the +Runaways were about among the people of the Fair; but Dallach, +being still weak, sat on a bench by the door of the House of the +Face looking on well-pleased at all the stir of folk.</p> +<p>Hall-face was gone on the woodland ward; while Face-of-god +went among the folk in his most glorious attire; but he soon +betook him to the place of meeting without the Gate, where +Stone-face and some of the elders were sitting along with the +Alderman, beside whom sat the head man of the merchants, clad in +a gown of fine scarlet embroidered with the best work of the +Dale, with a golden chaplet on his head, and a good sword, +golden-hilted, by his side, all which the Alderman had given to +it <a name="page242"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 242</span>him +that morning. These chiefs were talking together concerning +the tidings of the Plain, and many a tale the guest told to the +Dalesmen, some true, some false. For there had been battles +down there, and the fall of kings, and destruction of people, as +oft befalleth in the guileful Cities. He told them also, in +answer to their story of the Dusky Men, of how men even +such-like, but riding on horses, or drawn in wains, an host not +to be numbered, had erewhile overthrown the hosts of the Cities +of the Plain, and had wrought evils scarce to be told of; and how +they had piled up the skulls of slaughtered folk into great hills +beside the city-gates, so that the sun might no longer shine into +the streets; and how because of the death and the rapine, grass +had grown in the kings’ chambers, and the wolves had chased +deer in the Temples of the Gods.</p> +<p>‘But,’ quoth he, ‘I know you, bold tillers +of the soil, valiant scourers of the Wild-wood, that the worst +that can befall you will be to die under shield, and that ye +shall suffer no torment of the thrall. May the undying Gods +bless the threshold of this Gate, and oft may I come hither to +taste of your kindness! May your race, the uncorrupt, +increase and multiply, till your valiant men and clean maidens +make the bitter sweet and purify the earth!’</p> +<p>He spake smooth-tongued and smiling, handling the while the +folds of his fine scarlet gown, and belike he meant a full half +of what he said; for he was a man very eloquent of speech, and +had spoken with kings, uncowed and pleased with his speaking; and +for that cause and his riches had he been made chief of the +chapmen. As he spake the heart of Face-of-god swelled +within him, and his cheek flushed; but Iron-face sat up straight +and proud, and a light smile played about his face, as he said +gravely:</p> +<p>‘Friend of the Westland, I thank thee for the blessing +and the kind word. Such as we are, we are; nor do I deem +that the very Gods shall change us. And if they will be our +friends, it is well; for we desire nought of them save their +friendship; and if they will be our foes, that also shall we +bear; nor will we curse them for <a name="page243"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 243</span>doing that which their lives bid +them to do. What sayest thou, Face-of-god, my +son?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, father,’ said Face-of-god, ‘I say that +the very Gods, though they slay me, cannot unmake my life that +has been. If they do deeds, yet shall we also +do.’</p> +<p>The Outlander smiled as they spake, and bowed his head to +Iron-face and Face-of-god, and wondered at their pride of heart, +marvelling what they would say to the great men of the Cities if +they should meet them.</p> +<p>But as they sat a-talking, there came two men running to them +from the Portway, their weapons all clattering upon them, and +they heard withal the sound of a horn winded not far off very +loud and clear; and the Chapman’s cheek paled: for in sooth +he doubted that war was at hand, after all he had heard of the +Dalesmen’s dealings with the Dusky Men. And all +battle was loathsome to him, nor for all the gain of his chaffer +had he come into the Dale, had he known that war was looked +for.</p> +<p>But the chiefs of the Dalesmen stirred not, nor changed +countenance; and some of the goodmen who were in the street nigh +the Gate came forth to see what was toward; for they also had +heard the voice of the horn.</p> +<p>Then one of those messengers came up breathless, and stood +before the chiefs, and said:</p> +<p>‘New tidings, Alderman; here be weaponed strangers come +into the Dale.’</p> +<p>The Alderman smiled on him and said: ‘Yea, son, and are +they a great host of men?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said the man, ‘not above a score as I +deem, and there is a woman with them.’</p> +<p>‘Then shall we abide them here,’ said the +Alderman, ‘and thou mightest have saved thy breath, and +suffered them to bring tidings of themselves; since they may +scarce bring us war. For no man desireth certain and +present death; and that is all that such a band may win at our +hands in battle to-day; and all who <a name="page244"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 244</span>come in peace are welcome to +us. What like are they to behold?’</p> +<p>Said the man: ‘They are tall men gloriously attired, so +that they seem like kinsmen of the Gods; and they bear flowering +boughs in their hands.’</p> +<p>The Alderman laughed, and said: ‘If they be Gods they +are welcome indeed; and they shall grow the wiser for their +coming; for they shall learn how guest-fain the Burgdale men may +be. But if, as I deem, they be like unto us, and but the +children of the Gods, then are they as welcome, and it may be +more so, and our greeting to them shall be as their greeting to +us would be.’</p> +<p>Even as he spake the horn was winded nearer yet, and more +loudly, and folk came pouring out of the Gate to learn the +tidings. Presently the strangers came from off the Portway +into the space before the Gate; and their leader was a tall and +goodly man of some thirty winters, in glorious array, helm on +head and sword by side, his surcoat green and flowery like the +spring meads. In his right hand he held a branch of the +blossomed black-thorn (for some was yet in blossom), and his left +had hold of the hand of an exceeding fair woman who went beside +him: behind him was a score of weaponed men in goodly attire, +some bearing bows, some long spears, but each bearing a flowering +bough in hand.</p> +<p>The tall man stopped in the midst of the space, and the +Alderman and they with him stirred not; though, as for +Face-of-god, it was to him as if summer had come suddenly into +the midst of winter, and for the very sweetness of delight his +face grew pale.</p> +<p>Then the new-comer drew nigh to the Alderman and said:</p> +<p>‘Hail to the Gate and the men of the Gate! Hail to +the kindred of the children of the Gods!’</p> +<p>But the Alderman stood up and spake: ‘And hail to thee, +tall man! Fair greeting to thee and thy company! Wilt +thou name thyself with thine own name, or shall I call thee +nought save Guest? Welcome art thou, by whatsoever name +thou wilt be called. Here may’st thou and thy folk +abide as long as ye will.’</p> +<p><a name="page245"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 245</span>Said +the new-comer: ‘Thanks have thou for thy greeting and for +thy bidding! And that bidding shall we take, whatsoever may +come of it; for we are minded to abide with thee for a +while. But know thou, O Alderman of the Dalesmen, that I am +not sackless toward thee and thine. My name is Folk-might +of the Children of the Wolf, and this woman is the Sun-beam, my +sister, and these behind me are of my kindred, and are well +beloved and trusty. We are no evil men or wrong-doers; yet +have we been driven into sore straits, wherein men must needs at +whiles do deeds that make their friends few and their foes +many. So it may be that I am thy foeman. Yet, if thou +doubtest of me that I shall be a baneful guest, thou shalt have +our weapons of us, and then mayest thou do thy will upon us +without dread; and here first of all is my sword!’</p> +<p>Therewith he cast down the flowering branch he was bearing, +and pulled his sword from out his sheath, and took it by the +point, and held out the hilt to Iron-face.</p> +<p>But the Alderman smiled kindly on him and said:</p> +<p>‘The blade is a good one, and I say it who know the +craft of sword-forging; but I need it not, for thou seest I have +a sword by my side. Keep your weapons, one and all; for ye +have come amongst many and those no weaklings: and if so be that +thy guilt against us is so great that we must needs fall on you, +ye will need all your war-gear. But hereof is no need to +speak till the time of the Folk-mote, which will be holden in +three days’ wearing; so let us forbear this matter till +then; for I deem we shall have enough to say of other +matters. Now, Folk-might, sit down beside me, and thou +also, Sun-beam, fairest of women.’</p> +<p>Therewith he looked into her face and reddened, and said:</p> +<p>‘Yet belike thou hast a word of greeting for my son, +Face-of-god, unless it be so that ye have not seen him +before?’</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god came forward, and took Folk-might by the hand +and kissed him; and he stood before the Sun-beam and took her +hand, and the world waxed a wonder to him as he kissed <a +name="page246"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 246</span>her cheeks; +and in no wise did she change countenance, save that her eyes +softened, and she gazed at him full kindly from the happiness of +her soul.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god said: ‘Welcome, Guests, who erewhile +guested me so well: now beginneth the day of your well-doing to +the men of Burgdale; therefore will we do to you as well as we +may.’</p> +<p>Then Folk-might and the Sun-beam sat them down with the +chieftains, one on either side of the Alderman, but Face-of-god +passed forth to the others, and greeted them one by one: of them +was Wood-father and his three sons, and Bow-may; and they +rejoiced exceedingly to see him, and Bow-may said:</p> +<p>‘Now it gladdens my heart to look upon thee alive and +thriving, and to remember that day last winter when I met thee on +the snow, and turned thee back from the perilous path to thy +pleasure, which the Dusky Men were besetting, of whom thou +knewest nought. Yea, it was merry that tide; but this is +better. Nay, friend,’ she said, ‘it availeth +thee nought to strive to look out of the back of thine head: let +it be enough to thee that she is there. Thou art now become +a great chieftain, and she is no less; and this is a meeting of +chieftains, and the folk are looking on and expecting demeanour +of them as of the Gods; and she is not to be dealt with as if she +were the daughter of some little goodman with whom one hath made +tryst in the meadows. There! hearken to me for a while; at +least till I tell thee that thou seemest to me to hold thine head +higher than when last I saw thee; though that is no long time +either. Hast thou been in battle again since that +day?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ he said, ‘I have stricken no stroke +since I slew two felons within the same hour that we +parted. And thou, sister, what hast thou done?’</p> +<p>She said: ‘The grey goose hath been on the wing thrice +since that, bearing on it the bane of evil things.’</p> +<p>Then said Wood-wise: ‘Kinswoman, tell him of that +battle, since thou art deft with thy tongue.’</p> +<p><a name="page247"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 247</span>She +said: ‘Weary on battles! it is nought save this: twelve +days agone needs must every fighting-man of the Wolf, carle or of +queen, wend away from Shadowy Vale, while those unmeet for battle +we hid away in the caves at the nether end of the Dale: but +Sun-beam would not endure that night, and fared with us, though +she handled no weapon. All this we had to do because we had +learned that a great company of the Dusky Men were over-nigh to +our Dale, and needs must we fall upon them, lest they should +learn too much, and spread the story. Well, so wise was +Folk-might that we came on them unawares by night and cloud at +the edge of the Pine-wood, and but one of our men was slain, and +of them not one escaped; and when the fight was over we counted +four score and ten of their arm-rings.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Did that or aught else come of our meeting +with them that morning?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, ‘nought came of it: those +we slew were but a straying band. Nay, the four score and +ten slain in the Pine-wood knew not of Shadowy Vale belike, and +had no intent for it: they were but scouring the wood seeking +their warriors that had gone out from Silver-dale and came not +aback.’</p> +<p>‘Thou art wise in war, Bow-may,’ said Face-of-god, +and he smiled withal.</p> +<p>Bow-may reddened and said: ‘Friend Gold-mane, dost thou +perchance deem that there is aught ill in my warring? And +the Sun-beam, she naysayeth the bearing of weapons; though I deem +that she hath little fear of them when they come her +way.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Nay, I deem no ill of it, but much +good. For I suppose that thou hast learned overmuch of the +wont of the Dusky Men, and hast seen their thralls?’</p> +<p>She knitted her brows, and all the merriment went out of her +face at that word, and she answered: ‘Yea, thou hast it; +for I have both seen their thralls and been in the Dale of +thralldom; and how then can I do less than I do? But for +thee, I perceive that thou hast been nigh unto our foes and hast +fallen in with <a name="page248"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +248</span>their thralls; and that is well; for whatso tales we +had told thee thereof it is like thou wouldst not have trowed in, +as now thou must do, since thou thyself hast seen these poor +folk. But now I will tell thee, Gold-mane, that my soul is +sick of these comings and goings for the slaughter of a few +wretches; and I long for the Great Day of Battle, when it will be +seen whether we shall live or die; and though I laugh and jest, +yet doth the wearing of the days wear me.’</p> +<p>He looked kindly on her and said: ‘I am War-leader of +this Folk, and trust me that the waiting-tide shall not be long; +wherefore now, sister, be merry to-day, for that is but meet and +right; and cast aside thy care, for presently shalt thou behold +many new friends. But now meseemeth overlong have ye been +standing before our Gate, and it is time that ye should see the +inside of our Burg and the inside of our House.’</p> +<p>Indeed by this time so many men had come out of the street +that the place before the Gate was all thronged, and from where +he stood Face-of-god could scarce see his father, or Folk-might +and the Sun-beam and the chieftains.</p> +<p>So he took Wood-father by the hand, and close behind him came +Wood-wise and Bow-may, and he cried out for way that he might +speak with the Alderman, and men gave way to them, and he led +those new-comers close up to the gate-seats of the Elders, and as +he clove the press smiling and bright-eyed and happy, all gazed +on him; but the Sun-beam, who was sitting between Iron-face and +the Westland Chapman, and who heretofore had been agaze with eyes +beholding little, past whose ears the words went unheard, and +whose mind wandered into thoughts of things unfashioned yet, when +she beheld him close to her again, then, taken unawares, her eyes +caressed him, and she turned as red as a rose, as she felt all +the sweetness of desire go forth from her to meet him. So +that, he perceiving it, his voice was the clearer and sweeter for +the inward joy he felt, as he said:</p> +<p>‘Alderman, meseemeth it is now time that we bring our +Guests <a name="page249"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +249</span>into the House of our Fathers; for since they are in +warlike array, and we are no longer living in peace, and I am now +War-leader of the Dale, I deem it but meet that I should have the +guesting of them. Moreover, when we are come into our +House, I will bid thee look into thy treasury, that thou +may’st find therein somewhat which it may pleasure us to +give to our Guests.’</p> +<p>Said Iron-face: ‘Thou sayest well, son, and since the +day is now worn past noon, and these folk are but just come from +the Waste, therefore such as we have of meat and drink abideth +them. And surely there is within our house a coffer which +belongeth to thee and me; and forsooth I know not why we keep the +treasures hoarded therein, save that it be for this cause: that +if we were to give to our friends that which we ourselves use and +love, which would be of all things pleasant to us, if we gave +them such goods, they would be worn and worsened by our use of +them. For this reason, therefore, do we keep fair things +which we use not, so that we may give them to our friends.</p> +<p>‘Now, Guests, both of the Waste and the Westland, since +here is no Gate-thing or meeting of the Dale-wardens, and we sit +here but for our pleasure, let us go take our pleasure within +doors for a while, if it seem good to you.’</p> +<p>Therewith he arose, and the folk made way for him and his +Guests; and Folk-might went on the right hand of Iron-face, and +beside him went the Chapman, who looked on him with a half-smile, +as though he knew somewhat of him. But on the other side of +Iron-face went the Sun-beam, whose hand he held, and after these +came Face-of-god, leading in the rest of the New-comers, who yet +held the flowery branches in their hands.</p> +<p>Now so much had Face-of-god told the Dalesmen, that they +deemed they all knew these men for their battle-fellows of whom +they had heard tell; and this the more as the men were so goodly +and manly of aspect, especially Folk-might, so that they seemed +as if they were nigh akin to the Gods. As for the Sun-beam, +they knew not how to praise her beauty enough, but they said that +<a name="page250"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 250</span>they had +never known before how fair the Gods might be. So they +raised a great shout of welcome as the men came through the Gate +into the Burg, and all men turned their backs on the booths, so +eager were they to behold closely these new friends.</p> +<p>But as the Guests went from the Gate to the House of the Face, +going very slowly because of the press, there in the front of the +throng stood the Bride with the women of the Runaways, whom she +had caused to be clad very fairly; and she was fain to do them a +pleasure by bringing them to sight of these new-comers, of whom +she had not heard who they were, though she had heard the cry +that strangers were at hand. So there she stood smiling a +little with the pleasure of showing a fair sight to the poor +people, as folk do with children. But when she saw those +twain going on each side of the Alderman she knew them at once; +and when the Sun-beam, who was on his left side, passed so close +to her that she could see the very smoothness and dainty fashion +of her skin, then was she astonied, and the world seemed strange +to her, and till they were gone by, and for a while afterwards, +she knew not where she was nor what she did, though it seemed to +her as if she still saw the face of that fair woman as in a +picture.</p> +<p>But the Sun-beam had noted her at first, even amongst the fair +women of Burgstead, and she so steady and bright beside the +wandering timorous eyes and lowering faces of the thralls. +But suddenly, as eye met eye, she saw her face change; she saw +her cheek whiten, her eyes stare, and her lips quiver, and she +knew at once who it was; for she had not seen her before as +Folk-might had. Then the Sun-beam cast her eyes adown, lest +her compassion might show in her face, and be a fresh grief to +her that had lost the wedding and the love; and so she passed +on.</p> +<p>As for Folk-might, he had seen her at once amongst all that +folk as he came into the street, and in sooth he was looking for +her; and when he saw her face change, as the sight of the +Sun-beam smote upon her heart, his own face burned with shame and +anger, and he looked back at her as he went toward the +House. <a name="page251"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +251</span>But she saw him not, nor noted him; and none deemed it +strange that he looked long on the Bride, the treasure of +Burgstead. But for some while Folk-might was few-spoken and +sharp-spoken amongst the chieftains; for he was slow to master +his longing and his wrath.</p> +<p>So when all the Guests had entered the door of the House of +the Face, the Alderman turned back, and, standing on the +threshold of his House, spake unto the throng:</p> +<p>‘Men of the Dale, and ye Outlanders who may be here, +know that this is a happy day; for hither have come to us Guests, +men of the kindred of the Gods, and they are even those of whom +Face-of-god my son hath told you. And they are friends of +our friends and foes of our foes. These men are now in my +House, as is but right; but when they come forth I look to you to +cherish them in the best way ye know, and make much of them, as +of those who may help us and who may by us be holpen.’</p> +<p>Therewith he went in again and into the Hall, and bade show +the New-comers to the daïs; and wine of the best, and meat +such as was to hand, was set before them. He bade men also +get ready high feast as great as might be against the evening; +and they did his bidding straightway.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII. THE ALDERMAN GIVES GIFTS TO THEM OF +SHADOWY VALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the Hall of the Face Folk-might +sat on the daïs at the right hand of the Alderman, and the +Sun-beam on his left hand. But Iron-face also had beheld +the Bride how her face changed, and he knew the cause, and was +grieved and angry and ashamed thereof: also he bethought him how +this stranger was sitting in the very place where the Bride used +to sit, and of all the love, as of a very daughter, that he had +had for her; howbeit he constrained himself to talk courteously +and kindly both to Folk-might and <a name="page252"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 252</span>the Sun-beam, as behoved the Chief +of the House and the Alderman of the Dale. Moreover, he was +not a little moved by the goodliness and wisdom of the Sun-beam +and the manliness of Folk-might, who was the most chieftain-like +of men.</p> +<p>But while they sat there Face-of-god went from man to man of +the Guests, and made much of each, but especially of Wood-father +and his sons and Bow-may, and they loved him, and praised him, +and deemed him the best of hall-mates. Nor might the +Sun-beam altogether refrain her from looking lovingly on him, and +it could be seen of her that she deemed he was doing well, and +like a wise leader and chieftain.</p> +<p>So wore away awhile, and men were fulfilled of meat and drink; +so then the Alderman arose and spake, and said:</p> +<p>‘Is it not so, Guests, that ye would now gladly behold +our market, and the goodly wares which the chapmen have brought +us from the Cities?’</p> +<p>Then most men cried out: ‘Yea, yea!’ and Iron-face +said:</p> +<p>‘Then shall ye go, nor be holden by me from your +pleasure. And ye kinsmen who are the most guest-fain and +the wisest, go ye with our friends, and make all things easy and +happy for them. But first of all, Guests, I were well +pleased if ye would take some small matters out of our abundance; +for it were well that ye see them ere ye stand before the +chapmen’s booths, lest ye chaffer with them for what ye +have already.’</p> +<p>They all praised his bounty and thanked him for his goodwill: +so he arose to go to his treasury, and bade certain of his folk +go along with him to bear in the gifts. But ere he had +taken three steps down the hall, Face-of-god prevented him and +said:</p> +<p>‘Kinsman, if thou hast anywhere a hauberk somewhat +better than folk are wont to bear, such as thine own hand +fashioneth, and a sword of the like stuff, I would have thee give +them, the sword to my brother-in-arms Wood-wise here, and the +war-coat to my sister Bow-may, who shooteth so well in the bow +that none may shoot closer, and very few as close; and her shaft +it was <a name="page253"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +253</span>that delivered me when my skull was amongst the axes of +the Dusky Men: else had I not been here.’</p> +<p>Thereat Bow-may reddened and looked down, like a scholar who +hath been over-praised for his learning and diligence; but the +Alderman smiled on her and said:</p> +<p>‘I thank thee, son, that thou hast let me know what +these our two friends may be fain of: and as for this +damsel-at-arms, it is a little thing that thou askest for her, +and we might have found her something more worthy of her +goodliness; yet forsooth, since we are all bound for the place +where shafts and staves shall be good cheap, a greater treasure +might be of less avail to her.’</p> +<p>Thereat men laughed, and the Alderman went down the Hall with +those bearers of gifts, and was away for a space while they drank +and made merry: but presently back they came from the treasury +bearing loads of goodly things which were laid on one of the +endlong boards. Then began the gift-giving: and first he +gave unto Folk-might six golden cups marvellously fashioned, the +work of four generations of wrights in the Dale, and he himself +had wrought the last two thereof. To Sun-beam he gave a +girdle of gold, fashioned with great mastery, whereon were images +of the Gods and the Fathers, and warriors, and beasts of the +field and fowls of the air; and as he girt it about her loins, he +said in a soft voice so that few heard:</p> +<p>‘Sun-beam, thou fair woman, time has been when thou wert +to us as the edge of the poisonous sword or the midnight torch of +the murderer; but now I know not how it will be, or if the grief +which thou hast given me will ever wear out or not. And now +that I have beheld thee, I have little to do to blame my son; for +indeed when I look on thee I cannot deem that there is any evil +in thee. Yea, however it may be, take thou this gift as the +reward of thine exceeding beauty.’</p> +<p>She looked on him with kind eyes, and said meekly:</p> +<p>‘Indeed, if I have hurt thee unwittingly, I grieve to +have hurt so good a man. Hereafter belike we may talk more +of this, but <a name="page254"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +254</span>now I will but say, that whereas at first I needed but +to win thy son’s goodwill, so that our Folk might come to +life and thriving again, now it is come to this, that he holdeth +my heart in his hand and may do what he will with it; therefore I +pray thee withhold not thy love either from him or from +me.’</p> +<p>He looked on her wondering, and said: ‘Thou art such an +one as might make the old man young, and the boy grow into +manhood suddenly; and thy voice is as sweet as the voice of the +song-birds singing in the dawn of early summer soundeth to him +who hath been sick unto death, but who hath escaped it and is +mending. And yet I fear thee.’</p> +<p>Therewith he kissed her hand and turned unto the others, and +he gave unto Bow-may a hauberk of ring-mail of his own +fashioning, a sure defence and a wonderful work, and the collar +thereof was done with gold and gems.</p> +<p>But he said to her: ‘Fair damsel-at-arms, faithful is +thy face, and the fashion of thee is goodly: now art thou become +one of the best of our friends, and this is little enough to give +thee; yet would we fain ward thy body against the foeman; so +grieve us not by gainsaying us.’</p> +<p>And Bow-may was exceeding glad, and scarce knew how to cease +handling that marvel of ring-mail.</p> +<p>Then to Wood-wise Iron-face gave a most goodly sword, the +blade all marked with dark lines like the stream of an eddying +river, the hilts of steel and gold marvellously wrought; and all +the work of a smith who had dwelt in the house of his +father’s father, and was a great warrior.</p> +<p>Unto Wood-father he gave a very goodly helm parcel-gilded; and +to his sons and the other folk fair gifts of weapons and jewels +and girdles and cups and other good things; so that their hearts +were full of joy, and they all praised his open hand.</p> +<p>Then some of the best and merriest of the kinsmen of the Face, +and Face-of-god with them, brought the Guests out into the street +and among the booths. There Face-of-god beheld <a +name="page255"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 255</span>the Bride +again; and she was standing by the booth of a chapman and dealing +with him for a piece of goodly silken cloth to be a gown for one +of her guests, and she was talking and smiling as she chaffered +with him, as her wont was; for she was ever very friendly of +demeanour with all men. But he noted that she was yet +exceeding pale, and he was right sorry thereof, for he loved her +friendly; yet now had he no shame for all that had befallen, when +he bethought him of the Sun-beam and the love she had for +him. And also he had a deeming that the Bride would better +of her grief.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV. THE CHIEFTAINS TAKE COUNSEL IN THE HALL +OF THE FACE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Then</span> turned Face-of-god back into +the Hall, and saw where Iron-face sat at the daïs, and with +him Folk-might and Stone-face and the Elder of the Dale-wardens, +and Sun-beam withal; so he went soberly up to the board, and sat +himself down thereat beside Stone-face, over against Folk-might +and his father, beside whom sat the Sun-beam; and Folk-might +looked on him gravely, as a man powerful and trustworthy, yet was +his look somewhat sour.</p> +<p>Then the Alderman said: ‘My son, I said not to thee come +back presently, because I wotted that thou wouldst surely do so, +knowing that we have much to speak of. For, whatever these +thy friends may have done, or whatsoever thou hast done with them +to grieve us, all that must be set aside at this present time, +since the matter in hand is to save the Dale and its folk. +What sayest thou hereon? Since, young as thou mayst be, +thou art our War-leader, and doubtless shalt so be after the +Folk-mote hath been holden.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god answered not hastily: indeed, as he sat thinking +for a minute or two, the fair spring day seemed to darken about +<a name="page256"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 256</span>them or +to glare into the light of flames amidst the night-tide; and the +joyous clamour without doors seemed to grow hoarse and fearful as +the sound of wailing and shrieking. But he spake firmly and +simply in a clear voice, and said:</p> +<p>‘There can be no two words concerning what we have to +aim at; these Dusky Men we must slay everyone, though we be fewer +than they be.’</p> +<p>Folk-might smiled and nodded his head; but the others sat +staring down the hall or into the hangings.</p> +<p>Then spake Folk-might: ‘Thou wert a boy methought when I +cast my spear at thee last autumn, Face-of-god, but now hast thou +grown into a man. Now tell me, what deemest thou we must do +to slay them all?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Once again it is clear that we must +fall upon them at home in Rose-dale and Silver-dale.’</p> +<p>Again Folk-might nodded: but Iron-face said:</p> +<p>‘Needeth this? May we not ward the Dale and send +many bands into the wood to fall upon them when we meet +them? Yea, and so doing these our guests have already slain +many, as this valiant man hath told me e’en now. Will +ye not slay so many at last, that they shall learn to fear us, +and abide at home and leave us at peace?’</p> +<p>But Face-of-god said: ‘Meseemeth, father, that this is +not thy rede, and that thou sayest this but to try me: and +perchance ye have been talking about me when I was without in the +street e’en now. Even if it might be that we should +thus cow these felons into abiding at home and tormenting their +own thralls at their ease, yet how then are our friends of the +Wolf holpen to their own again? And I shall tell thee that +I have promised to this man and this woman that I will give them +no less than a man’s help in this matter. Moreover, I +have spoken in every house of the Dale, and to the Shepherds and +the Woodlanders, and there is no man amongst them but will follow +me in the quarrel. Furthermore, they have heard of the +thralldom that is <a name="page257"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +257</span>done on men no great way from their own houses; yea, +they have seen it; and they remember the old saw, “Grief in +thy neighbour’s hall is grief in thy garth,” and sure +it is, father, that whether thou or I gainsay them, go they will +to deliver the thralls of the Dusky Men, and will leave us alone +in the Dale.’</p> +<p>‘This is no less than sooth,’ said the +Dale-warden, ‘never have men gone forth more joyously to a +merry-making than all men of us shall wend to this +war.’</p> +<p>‘But,’ said Face-of-god, ‘of one thing ye +may be sure, that these men will not abide our pleasure till we +cut them all off in scattered bands, nor will they sit deedless +at home. Nor indeed may they; for we have heard from their +thralls that they look to have fresh tribes of them come to hand +to eat their meat and waste their servants, and these and they +must find new abodes and new thralls; and they are now warned by +the overthrows and slayings that they have had at our hands that +we are astir, and they will not delay long, but will fall upon us +with all their host; it might even be to-day or +to-morrow.’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘In all this thou sayest sooth, brother +of the Dale; and to cut this matter short, I will tell you all, +that yesterday we had with us a runaway from Silver-dale (it is +overlong to tell how we fell in with her; for it was a +woman). But she told us that this very moon is a new tribe +come into the Dale, six long hundreds in number, and twice as +many more are looked for in two eights of days, and that ere this +moon hath waned, that is, in twenty-four days, they will wend +their ways straight for Burgdale, for they know the ways +thereto. So I say that Face-of-god is right in all +wise. But tell me, brother, hast thou thought of how we +shall come upon these men?’</p> +<p>‘How many men wilt thou lead into battle?’ said +Face-of-god.</p> +<p>Folk-might reddened, and said: ‘A few, a few; maybe +two-hundreds all told.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Face-of-god, ‘but some special +gain wilt thou be to us.’</p> +<p><a name="page258"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +258</span>‘So I deem at least,’ said Folk-might.</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Good is that. Now have we held +our Weapon-show in the Dale, and we find that we together with +you be sixteen long hundreds of men; and the tale of the foemen +that be now in Silver-dale, new-comers and all, shall be three +thousands or thereabout, and in Rose-dale hard on a +thousand.’</p> +<p>‘Scarce so many,’ said Folk-might; ‘some of +the felons have died; we told over our silver arm-rings +yesterday, and the tale was three hundred and eighty and +six. Besides, they were never so many as thou +deemest.’</p> +<p>‘Well,’ said Face-of-god, ‘yet at least they +shall outnumber us sorely. We may scarce leave the Dale +unguarded when our host is gone; therefore I deem that we shall +have but one thousand of men for our onslaught on +Silver-dale.’</p> +<p>‘How come ye to that?’ said Stone-face.</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Abide a while, fosterer! Though +the odds between us be great, it is not to be hidden that I wot +how ye of the Wolf know of privy passes into Silver-dale; yea, +into the heart thereof; and this is the special gain ye have to +give us. Therefore we, the thousand men, falling on the foe +unawares, shall make a great slaughter of them; and if the murder +be but grim enough, those thralls of theirs shall fear us and not +them, as already they hate them and not us, so that we may look +to them for rooting out these sorry weeds after the +overthrow. And what with one thing, what with another, we +may cherish a good hope of clearing Silver-dale at one stroke +with the said thousand men.</p> +<p>‘There remaineth Rose-dale, which will be easier to deal +with, because the Dusky Men therein are fewer and the thralls as +many: that also would I fall on at the same time as we fall on +Silver-dale with the men that are left over from the Silver-dale +onslaught. Wherefore my rede is, that we gather all those +unmeet for battle in the field into this Burg, with ten tens of +men to strengthen them; which shall be enough for them, along +with the old men, and lads, and sturdy women, to defend +themselves till help comes, if aught <a name="page259"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 259</span>of evil befall, or to flee into the +mountains, or at the worst to die valiantly. Then let the +other five hundreds fare up to Rose-dale, and fall on the Dusky +Men therein about the same time, but not before our onslaught on +Silver-dale: thus shall hand help foot, so that stumbling be not +falling; and we may well hope that our rede shall +thrive.’</p> +<p>Then was he silent, and the Sun-beam looked upon him with +gleaming eyes and parted lips, waiting eagerly to hear what +Folk-might would say. He held his peace a while, drumming +on the board with his fingers, and none else spake a word. +At last he said:</p> +<p>‘War-leader of Burgdale, all that thou hast spoken likes +me well, and even so must it be done, saving that parting of our +host and sending one part to fall upon Rose-dale. I say, +nay; let us put all our might into that one stroke on +Silver-dale, and then we are undone indeed if we fail; but so +shall we be if we fail anywise; but if we win Silver-dale, then +shall Rose-dale lie open before us.’</p> +<p>‘My brother,’ said Face-of-god, ‘thou art a +tried warrior, and I but a lad: but dost thou not see this, that +whatever we do, we shall not at one onslaught slay all the Dusky +Men of Silver-dale, and those that flee before us shall betake +them to Rose-dale, and tell all the tale, and what shall hinder +them then from falling on Burgdale (since they are no great way +from it) after they have murdered what they will of the unhappy +people under their hands?’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘I say not but that there is a risk +thereof, but in war we must needs run such risks, and all should +be risked rather than that our blow on Silver-dale be +light. For we be the fewer; and if the foemen have time to +call that to mind, then are we all lost.’</p> +<p>Said Stone-face: ‘Meseemeth, War-leader, that there is +nought much to dread in leaving Rose-dale to itself for a while; +for not only may we follow hard on the fleers if they flee to +Rose-dale, and be there no long time after them, before they have +time to stir <a name="page260"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +260</span>their host; but also after the overthrow we shall be +free to send men back to Burgdale by way of Shadowy Vale. I +deem that herein Folk-might hath the right of it.’</p> +<p>‘Even so say I,’ said the Alderman; +‘besides, we might theft leave more folk behind us for the +warding of the Dale. So, son, the risk whereof thou +speakest groweth the lesser the longer it is looked +on.’</p> +<p>Then spake the Dale-warden: ‘Yet saving your wisdom, +Alderman, the risk is there yet. For if these felons come +into the Dale at all, even if the folk left behind hold the Burg +and keep themselves unmurdered, yet may they not hinder the foe +from spoiling our homesteads; so that our folk coming back in +triumph shall find ruin at home, and spend weary days in hunting +their foemen, who shall, many of them, escape into the +Wild-wood.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said the Sun-beam, ‘sooth is that; +and Face-of-god is wise to think of it and of other +matters. Yet one thing we must bear in mind, that all may +not go smoothly in our day’s work in Silver-dale; so we +must have force there to fall back on, in case we miss our stroke +at first. Therefore, I say, send we no man to Rose-dale, +and leave we no able man-at-arms behind in the Burg, so that we +have with us every blade that may be gathered.’</p> +<p>Iron-face smiled and said: ‘Thou art wise, damsel; and I +marvel that so fair-fashioned a thing as thou can think so hardly +of the meeting of the fallow blades. But hearken! will not +the Dusky Men hear that we have stripped the Dale of +fighting-men, and may they not then give our host the go-by and +send folk to ruin us?’</p> +<p>There was silence while Face-of-god looked down on the board; +but presently he lifted up his face and said:</p> +<p>‘Folk-might was right when he said that all must be +risked. Let us leave Rose-dale till we have overcome them +of Silver-dale. Moreover, my father, thou must not deem of +these felons as if they were of like wits to us, to forecast the +deeds to come, and weigh the chances nicely, and unravel tangled +clews. Rather they move <a name="page261"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 261</span>like to the stares in autumn, or the +winter wild-geese, and will all be thrust forward by some sting +that entereth into their imaginations. Therefore, if they +have appointed one moon to wear before they fall upon us, they +will not stir till then, and we have time enough to do what must +be done. Wherefore am I now of one mind with the rest of +you. Now meseemeth it were well that these things which we +have spoken here, and shall speak, should not be noised abroad +openly; nay, at the Folk-mote it would be well that nought be +said about the day or the way of our onslaught on Silver-dale, +lest the foe take warning and be on their guard. Though, +sooth to say, did I deem that if they had word of our intent they +of Rose-dale would join themselves to them of Silver-dale, and +that we should thus have all our foes in one net, then were I +fain if the word would reach them. For my soul loathes the +hunting that shall befall up and down the wood for the slaying of +a man here, and two or three there, and the wearing of the days +in wandering up and down with weapons in the hand, and the +spinning out of hatred and delaying of peace.’</p> +<p>Then Iron-face reached his hand across the board and took his +son’s hand, and said:</p> +<p>‘Hail to thee, son, for thy word! Herein thou +speakest as if from my very soul, and fain am I of such a +War-leader.’</p> +<p>And desire drew the eyes of the Sun-beam to Face-of-god, and +she beheld him proudly. But he said:</p> +<p>‘All hath been spoken that the others of us may speak; +and now it falleth to the part of Folk-might to order our goings +for the tryst for the onslaught, and the trysting-place shall be +in Shadowy Vale. How sayest thou, Chief of the +Wolf?’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘I have little to say; and it is for +the War-leader to see to this closely and piecemeal. I +deem, as we all deem, that there should be no delay; yet were it +best to wend not all together to Shadowy Vale, but in divers +bands, as soon as ye may after the Folk-mote, by the sure and +nigh ways that we shall show you. And when we are gathered +there, short is the rede, for all <a name="page262"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 262</span>is ready there to wend by the passes +which we know throughly, and whereby it is but two days’ +journey to the head of Silver-dale, nigh to the caves of the +silver, where the felons dwell the thickest.’</p> +<p>He set his teeth, and his colour came and went: for as +constantly as the onslaught had been in his mind, yet whenever he +spake of the great day of battle, hope and joy and anger wrought +a tumult in his soul; and now that it was so nigh withal, he +could not refrain his joy.</p> +<p>But he spake again: ‘Now therefore, War-leader, it is +for thee to order the goings of thy folk. But I will tell +thee that they shall not need to take aught with them save their +weapons and victual for the way, that is, for thirty hours; +because all is ready for them in Shadowy Vale, though it be but a +poor place as to victual. Canst thou tell us, therefore, +what thou wilt do?’</p> +<p>Face-of-god had knit his brows and become gloomy of +countenance; but now his face cleared, and he set his hand to his +pouch, and drew forth a written parchment, and said:</p> +<p>‘This is the order whereof I have bethought me. +Before the Folk-mote I and the Wardens shall speak to the leaders +of hundreds, who be mostly here at the Fair, and give them the +day and the hour whereon they shall, each hundred, take their +weapons and wend to Shadowy Vale, and also the place where they +shall meet the men of yours who shall lead them across the +Waste. These hundred-leaders shall then go straightway and +give the word to the captains of scores, and the captains of +scores to the captains of tens; and if, as is scarce doubtful, +the Folk-mote yea-says the onslaught and the fellowship with you +of the Wolf, then shall those leaders of tens bring their men to +the trysting-place, and so go their ways to Shadowy Vale. +Now here I have the roll of our Weapon-show, and I will look to +it that none shall be passed over; and if ye ask me in what order +they had best get on the way, my rede is that a two hundred +should depart on the very evening of the day of the Folk-mote, +and these to be of our <a name="page263"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 263</span>folk of the Upper Dale; and on the +morning of the morrow of the Folk-mote another two hundreds from +the Dale; and in the evening of the same day the folk of the +Shepherds, three hundreds or more, and that will be easy to them; +again on the next day two more bands of the Lower Dale, one in +the morning, one in the evening. Lastly, in the earliest +dawn of the third day from the Folk-mote shall the Woodlanders +wend their ways. But one hundred of men let us leave behind +for the warding of the Burg, even as we agreed before. As +for the place of tryst for the faring over the Waste, let it be +the end of the knolls just by the jaws of the pass yonder, where +the Weltering Water comes into the Dale from the East. How +say ye?’</p> +<p>They all said, and Folk-might especially, that it was right +well devised, and that thus it should be done.</p> +<p>Then turned Face-of-god to the Dale-warden, and said:</p> +<p>‘It were good, brother, that we saw the other wardens as +soon as may be, to do them to wit of this order, and what they +have to do.’</p> +<p>Therewith he arose and took the Elder of the Dale-wardens away +with him, and the twain set about their business +straight-way. Neither did the others abide long in the +Hall, but went out into the Burg to see the chapmen and their +wares. There the Alderman bought what he needed of iron and +steel and other matters; and Folk-might cheapened him a dagger +curiously wrought, and a web of gold and silk for the Sun-beam, +for which wares he paid in silver arm-rings, new-wrought and of +strange fashion.</p> +<p>But amidst of the chaffer was now a great ring of men; and in +the midst of the ring stood Redesman, fiddle and bow in hand, and +with him were four damsels wondrously arrayed; for the first was +clad in a smock so craftily wrought with threads of green and +many colours, that it seemed like a piece of the green field +beset with primroses and cowslips and harebells and windflowers, +rather than a garment woven and sewn; and in her hand she bore a +<a name="page264"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 264</span>naked +sword, with golden hilts and gleaming blade. But the second +bore on her roses done in like manner, both blossoms and green +leaves, wherewith her body was covered decently, which else had +been naked. The third was clad as though she were wading +the wheat-field to the waist, and above was wrapped in the leaves +and bunches of the wine-tree. And the fourth was clad in a +scarlet gown flecked with white wool to set forth the +winter’s snow, and broidered over with the burning brands +of the Holy Hearth; and she bore on her head a garland of +mistletoe. And these four damsels were clearly seen to +image the four seasons of the year—Spring, Summer, Autumn, +and Winter. But amidst them stood a fountain or conduit of +gilded work cunningly wrought, and full of the best wine of the +Dale, and gilded cups and beakers hung about it.</p> +<p>So now Redesman fell to caressing his fiddle with the bow till +it began to make sweet music, and therewith the hearts of all +danced with it; and presently words come into his mouth, and he +fell to singing; and the damsels answered him:</p> +<p class="poetry">Earth-wielders, that fashion the +Dale-dwellers’ treasure,<br /> + Soft are ye by seeming, yet hardy of heart!<br /> +No warrior amongst us withstandeth your pleasure;<br /> + No man from his meadow may thrust you apart.</p> +<p class="poetry">Fresh and fair are your bodies, but far beyond +telling<br /> + Are the years of your lives, and the craft ye have +stored.<br /> +Come give us a word, then, concerning our dwelling,<br /> + And the days to befall us, the fruit of the +sword.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Winter saith</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">When last in the feast-hall the Yule-fire +flickered,<br /> + The foot of no foeman fared over the snow,<br /> +And nought but the wind with the ash-branches bickered:<br /> + Next Yule ye may deem it a long time ago.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><a name="page265"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 265</span><i>Autumn saith</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Loud laughed ye last year in the wheat-field +a-smiting;<br /> + And ye laughed as your backs drave the beam of the +press.<br /> +When the edge of the war-sword the acres are lighting<br /> + Look up to the Banner and laugh ye no less.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Summer saith</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Ye called and I came, and how good was the +greeting,<br /> + When ye wrapped me in roses both bosom and side!<br +/> +Here yet shall I long, and be fain of our meeting,<br /> + As hidden from battle your coming I bide.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Spring saith</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">I am here for your comfort, and lo! what I +carry;<br /> + The blade with the bright edges bared to the sun.<br +/> +To the field, to the work then, that e’en I may tarry<br /> + For the end of the tale in my first days begun!</p> +<p>Therewith the throng opened, and a young man stepped lightly +into the ring, clad in very fair armour, with a gilded helm on +his head; and he took the sword from the hand of the Maiden of +Spring, and waved it in the air till the westering sun flashed +back from it. Then each of the four damsels went up to the +swain and kissed his mouth; and Redesman drew the bow across the +strings, and the four damsels sang together, standing round about +the young warrior:</p> +<p class="poetry">It was but a while since for earth’s sake +we trembled,<br /> + Lest the increase our life-days had won for the +Dale,<br /> +All the wealth that the moons and the years had assembled,<br /> + Should be but a mock for the days of your bale.</p> +<p class="poetry">But now we behold the sun smite on the token<br +/> + In the hand of the Champion, the heart of a man;<br +/> +<a name="page266"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 266</span>We look +down the long years and see them unbroken;<br /> + Forth fareth the Folk by the ways it began.</p> +<p class="poetry">So bid ye these chapmen in autumn returning,<br +/> + To bring iron for ploughshares and steel for the +scythe,<br /> +And the over-sea oil that hath felt the sun’s burning,<br +/> + And fair webs for your women soft-spoken and +blithe;</p> +<p class="poetry">And pledge ye your word in the market to meet +them,<br /> + As many a man and as many a maid,<br /> +As eager as ever, as guest-fain to greet them,<br /> + And bide till the booth from the waggon is made.</p> +<p class="poetry">Come, guests of our lovers! for we, the +year-wielders,<br /> + Bid each man and all to come hither and take<br /> +A cup from our hands midst the peace of our shielders,<br /> + And drink to the days of the Dale that we make.</p> +<p>Then went the damsels to that wine-fountain, and drew thence +cups of the best and brightest wine of the Dale, and went round +about the ring, and gave drink to whomsoever would, both of the +chapmen and the others; while the weaponed youth stood in the +midst bearing aloft his sword and shield like an image in a holy +place, and Redesman’s bow still went up and down the +strings, and drew forth a sweet and merry tune.</p> +<p>Great game it was now to see the stark Burgdale carles +dragging the Men of the Plain, little loth, up to the front of +the ring, that they might stretch out their hands for a cup, and +how many a one, as he took it, took as much as he might of the +damsel’s hand withal. As for the damsels, they played +the Holy Play very daintily, neither reddening nor laughing, but +faring so solemnly, and withal so sweetly and bright-faced, that +it might well have been deemed that they were in very sooth +Maidens of the God of Earth sent from the ever-enduring Hall to +cheer the hearts of men.</p> +<p>So simply and blithely did the Men of Burgdale disport them <a +name="page267"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 267</span>after the +manner of their fathers, trusting in their valour and beholding +the good days to be.</p> +<p>So wore the evening, and when night was come, men feasted +throughout the Burg from house to house, and every hall was +full. But the Guests from Shadowy Vale feasted in the Hall +of the Face in all glee and goodwill; and with them were the +chief of the chapmen and two others; but the rest of them had +been laid hold of by goodmen of the Burg, and dragged into their +feast-halls, for they were fain of those guests and their +tales. One of the chapmen in the House of the Face knew +Folk-might, and hailed him by the name he had borne in the +Cities, Regulus to wit; indeed, the chief chapman knew him, and +even somewhat over-well, for he had been held to ransom by +Folk-might in those past days, and even yet feared him, because +he, the chapman, had played somewhat of a dastard’s part to +him. But the other was an open-hearted and merry fellow, +and no weakling; and Folk-might was fain of his talk concerning +times bygone, and the fields they had foughten in, and other +adventures that had befallen them, both good and evil.</p> +<p>As for Face-of-god, he went about the Hall soberly, and spake +no more than behoved him, so as not to seem a mar-feast; for the +image of the slaughter to be yet abode with him, and his heart +foreboded the after-grief of the battle. He had no speech +with the Sun-beam till men were sundering after the feast, and +then he came close to her amidst of the turmoil, and said:</p> +<p>‘Time presses on me these days; but if thou wouldest +speak with me to-morrow as I would with thee, then mightest thou +go on the Bridge of the Burg about sunrise, and I will be there, +and we two only.’</p> +<p>Her face, which had been somewhat sad that evening (for she +had been watching his), brightened at that word, and she took his +hand as folk came thronging round about them, and said:</p> +<p>‘Yea, friend, I shall be there, and fain of +thee.’ And therewithal they sundered for that +night.</p> +<p><a name="page268"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 268</span>And +all men went to sleep throughout the Burg: howbeit they set a +watch at the Burg-Gate; and Hall-face, when he was coming back +from the woodland ward about sunset, fell in with Redcoat of +Waterless and four score men on the Portway coming to meet him +and take his place. All which was clean contrary to the +wont of the Burgdalers, who at most whiles held no watch and +ward, not even in Fair-time.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXV. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE +SUN-BEAM.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Face-of-God</span> was at the Bridge on +the morrow before sun-rising, and as he turned about at the +Bridge-foot he saw the Sun-beam coming down the street; and his +heart rose to his mouth at the sight of her, and he went to meet +her and took her by the hand; and there were no words between +them till they had kissed and caressed each other, for there was +no one stirring about them. So they went over the Bridge +into the meadows, and eastward of the beaten path thereover.</p> +<p>The grass was growing thick and strong, and it was full of +flowers, as the cowslip and the oxlip, and the chequered +daffodil, and the wild tulip: the black-thorn was well-nigh done +blooming, but the hawthorn was in bud, and in some places growing +white. It was a fair morning, warm and cloudless, but the +night had been misty, and the haze still hung about the meadows +of the Dale where they were wettest, and the grass and its +flowers were heavy with dew, so that the Sun-beam went barefoot +in the meadow. She had a dark cloak cast over her kirtle, +and had left her glittering gown behind her in the House.</p> +<p>They went along hand in hand exceeding fain of each other, and +the sun rose as they went, and the long beams of gold shone +through the tops of the tall trees across the grass they trod, +and a light wind rose up in the north, as Face-of-god stayed a +moment <a name="page269"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +269</span>and turned toward the Face of the Sun and prayed to +Him, while the Sun-beam’s hand left the War-leader’s +hand and stole up to his golden locks and lay amongst them.</p> +<p>Presently they went on, and the feet of Face-of-god led him +unwitting toward the chestnut grove by the old dyke where he had +met the Bride such a little while ago, till he bethought whither +he was going and stopped short and reddened; and the Sun-beam +noted it, but spake not; but he said: ‘Hereby is a fair +place for us to sit and talk till the day’s work +beginneth.’</p> +<p>So then he turned aside, and soon they came to a hawthorn +brake out of which arose a great tall-stemmed oak, showing no +green as yet save a little on its lower twigs; and anigh it, yet +with room for its boughs to grow freely, was a great bird-cherry +tree, all covered now with sweet-smelling white blossoms. +There they sat down on the trunk of a tree felled last year, and +she cast off her cloak, and took his face between her two hands +and kissed him long and fondly, and for a while their joy had no +word. But when speech came to them, it was she that spake +first and said:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane, my dear, sorely I wonder at thee and at me, +how we are changed since that day last autumn when I first saw +thee. Whiles I think, didst thou not laugh when thou wert +by thyself that day, and mock at me privily, that I must needs +take such wisdom on myself, and lesson thee standing like a +stripling before me. Dost thou not call it all to mind and +make merry over it, now that thou art become a great chieftain +and a wise warrior, and I am yet what I always was, a young +maiden of the kindred; save that now I abide no longer for my +love?’</p> +<p>Her face was exceeding bright and rippled with joyous smiles, +and he looked at her and deemed that her heart was overflowing +with happiness, and he wondered at her indeed that she was so +glad of him, and he said:</p> +<p>‘Yea, indeed, oft do I see that morning in the woodland +hall and thee and me therein, as one looketh on a picture; yea +verily, <a name="page270"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +270</span>and I laugh, yet is it for very bliss; neither do I +mock at all. Did I not deem thee a God then? and am I not +most happy now when I can call it thus to mind? And as to +thee, thou wert wise then, and yet art thou wise now. Yea, +I thought thee a God; and if we are changed, is it not rather +that thou hast lifted me up to thee, and not come down to +me?’</p> +<p>Yet therewithal he knit his brows somewhat and said:</p> +<p>‘Yet thou hast not to tell me that all thy love for thy +Folk, and thy yearning hope for its recoverance, was but a +painted show. Else why shouldst thou love me the better now +that I am become a chieftain, and therefore am more meet to +understand thy hope and thy sorrow? Did I not behold thee +as we stood before the Wolf of the Hall of Shadowy Vale, how the +tears stood in thine eyes as thou beheldest him, and thine hand +in mine quivered and clung to me, and thou wert all changed in a +moment of time? Was all this then but a seeming and a +beguilement?’</p> +<p>‘O young man,’ she said, ‘hast thou not said +it, that we stood there close together, and my hand in thine and +desire growing up in me? Dost thou not know how this also +quickeneth the story of our Folk, and our goodwill towards the +living, and remembrance of the dead? Shall they have lived +and desired, and we deny desire and life? Or tell me: what +was it made thee so chieftain-like in the Hall yesterday, so that +thou wert the master of all our wills, for as self-willed as some +of us were? Was it not that I, whom thou deemest lovely, +was thereby watching thee and rejoicing in thee? Did not +the sweetness of thy love quicken thee? Yet because of that +was thy warrior’s wisdom and thy foresight an empty +show? Heedest thou nought the Folk of the Dale? +Wouldest thou sunder from the children of the Fathers, and dwell +amongst strangers?’</p> +<p>He kissed her and smiled on her and said: ‘Did I not say +of thee that thou wert wiser than the daughters of men? See +how wise thou hast made me!’</p> +<p><a name="page271"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 271</span>She +spake again: ‘Nay, nay, there was no feigning in my love +for my people. How couldest thou think it, when the Fathers +and the kindred have made this body that thou lovest, and the +voice of their songs is in the speech thou deemest +sweet?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Sweet friend, I deemed not that there was +feigning in thee: I was but wondering what I am and how I was +fashioned, that I should make thee so glad that thou couldst for +a while forget thy hope of the days before we met.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘O how glad, how glad! Yet was I nought +hapless. In despite of all trouble I had no down-weighing +grief, and I had the hope of my people before me. Good were +my days; but I knew not till now how glad a child of man may +be.’</p> +<p>Their words were hushed for a while amidst their +caresses. Then she said:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane, my friend, I mocked not my past self because +I deem that I was a fool then, but because I see now that all +that my wisdom could do, would have come about without my wisdom; +and that thou, deeming thyself something less than wise, didst +accomplish the thing I craved, and that which thou didst crave +also; and withal wisdom embraced thee, along with +love.’</p> +<p>Therewith she cast her arms about him and said:</p> +<p>‘O friend, I mock myself of this: that erst thou +deemedst me a God and fearedst me, but now thou seemest to me to +be a God, and I fear thee. Yea, though I have longed so +sore to be with thee since the day of Shadowy Vale, and though I +have wearied of the slow wearing of the days, and it hath +tormented me; yet now that I am with thee, I bless the torment of +my longing; for it is but my longing that compelleth me to cast +away my fear of thee and caress thee, because I have learned how +sweet it is to love thee thus.’</p> +<p>He wound his arms about her, and sweeter was their longing +than mere joy; and though their love was beyond measure, yet was +therein no shame to aught, not even to the lovely Dale and that +fair season of spring, so goodly they were among the children of +men.</p> +<p><a name="page272"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 272</span>In a +while they arose and turned homeward, and went over the open +meadow, and it was yet early, and the dew was as heavy on the +grass as before, though the wide sunlight was now upon it, +glittering on the wet blades, and shining through the bells of +the chequered daffodils till they looked like gouts of blood.</p> +<p>‘Look,’ said Sun-beam, as they went along by the +same way whereas they came, ‘deemest thou not that other +speech-friends besides us have been abroad to talk together apart +on this morning of the eve of battle. It is nought +unwonted, that we do, even though we forget the trouble of the +people to think of our own joy for a while.’</p> +<p>The smile died out of her face as she spoke, and she said:</p> +<p>‘O friend, this much may I say for myself in all sooth, +that indeed I would die for the kindred and its good days, nor +falter therein; but if I am to die, might I but die in thine +arms!’</p> +<p>He looked very lovingly on her, and put his arm about her and +kissed her and said: ‘What ails us to stand in the +doom-ring and bear witness against ourselves before the +kindred? Now I will say, that whatsoever the kindred may or +can call upon me to do, that will I do, nor grudge the deed: I am +sackless before them. But that is true which I spake to +thee when we came together up out of Shadowy Vale, to wit, that I +am no strifeful man, but a peaceful; and I look to it to win +through this war, and find on the other side either death, or +life amongst a happy folk; and I deem that this is mostly the +mind of our people.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘Thou shalt not die, thou shalt not +die!’</p> +<p>‘Mayhappen not,’ he said; ‘yet yesterday I +could not but look into the slaughter to come, and it seemed to +me a grim thing, and darkened the day for me; and I grew acold as +a man walking with the dead. But tell me: thou sayest I +shall not die; dost thou say this only because I am become dear +to thee, or dost thou speak it out of thy foresight of things to +come?’</p> +<p>She stopped and looked silently a while over the meadows +towards the houses of the Thorp: they were standing now on <a +name="page273"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 273</span>the border +of a shallow brook that ran down toward the Weltering Water; it +had a little strand of fine sand like the sea-shore, driven close +together, and all moist, because that brook was used to flood the +meadow for the feeding of the grass; and the last evening the +hatches which held up the water had been drawn, so that much had +ebbed away and left the strand aforesaid.</p> +<p>After a while the Sun-beam turned to Face-of-god, and she was +become somewhat pale; she said:</p> +<p>‘Nay, I have striven to see, and can see nought save the +picture of hope and fear that I make for myself. So it oft +befalleth foreseeing women, that the love of a man cloudeth their +vision. Be content, dear friend; it is for life or death; +but whichso it be, the same for me and thee together?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ he said, ‘and well content I am; so +now let each of us trust in the other to be both good and dear, +even as I trusted in thee the first hour that I looked on +thee.’</p> +<p>‘It is well,’ she said; ‘it is well. +How fair thou art; and how fair is the morn, and this our Dale in +the goodly season; and all this abideth us when the battle is +over.’</p> +<p>Once more her voice became sweet and wheedling, and the smile +lit up her face again, and she pointed down to the sand with her +finger, and said:</p> +<p>‘See thou! Here indeed have other lovers passed by +across the brook. Shall we wish them good luck?’</p> +<p>He laughed and looked down on the sand, and said:</p> +<p>‘Thou art in haste to make a story up. Indeed I +see that these first footprints are of a woman, for no carle of +the Dale has a foot as small; for we be tall fellows; and these +others withal are a man’s footprints; and if they showed +that they had been walking side by side, simple had been thy +tale; but so it is not. I cannot say that these two pairs +of feet went over the brook within five minutes of each other; +but sure it is that they could not have been faring side by +side. Well, belike they were lovers bickering, and we may +wish them luck out of that. Truly <a +name="page274"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 274</span>it is well +seen that Bow-may hath done thine hunting for thee, dear friend; +or else wouldest thou have lacked venison; for thou hast no +hunter’s eye.’</p> +<p>‘Well,’ she said, ‘but wish them luck, and +give me thine hand upon it.’</p> +<p>He took her hand, and fondled it, and said: ‘By this +hand of my speech-friend, I wish these twain all luck, in love +and in leisure, in faring and fighting, in sowing and samming, in +getting and giving. Is it well enough wished? If so +it be, then come thy ways, dear friend; for the day’s work +is at hand.’</p> +<p>‘It is well wished,’ she said. ‘Now +hearken: by the valiant hand of the War-leader, by the hand that +shall unloose my girdle, I wish these twain to be as happy as we +be.’</p> +<p>He made as if to draw her away, but she hung aback to set the +print of her foot beside the woman’s foot, and then they +went on together, and soon crossed the Bridge, and came home to +the House of the Face.</p> +<p>When they had broken their fast, Face-of-god would straight +get to his business of ordering matters for the warfare, and was +wishful to speak with Folk-might; but found him not, either in +the House or the street. But a man said:</p> +<p>‘I saw the tall Guest come abroad from the House and go +toward the Bridge very early in the morning.’</p> +<p>The Sun-beam, who was anigh when that was spoken, heard it and +smiled, and said: ‘Gold-mane, deemest thou that it was my +brother whom we blessed?’</p> +<p>‘I wot not,’ he said; ‘but I would he were +here, for this gear must speedily be looked to.’</p> +<p>Nevertheless it was nigh an hour before Folk-might came home +to the House. He strode in lightly and gaily, and shaking +the crest of his war-helm as he went. He looked friendly on +Face-of-god, and said to him:</p> +<p>‘Thou hast been seeking me, War-leader; but grudge it +not that I have caused thee to tarry. For as things have +gone, I am <a name="page275"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +275</span>twice the man for thine helping that I was yester-eve; +and thou art so ready and deft, that all will be done in due +time.’</p> +<p>He looked as if he would have had Face-of-god ask of him what +made him so fain, but Face-of-god said only:</p> +<p>‘I am glad of thy gladness; but now let us dally no +longer, for I have many folk to see to-day and much to set +a-going.’</p> +<p>So therewith they spake together a while, and then went their +ways together toward Carlstead and the Woodlanders.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI. FOLK-MIGHT SPEAKETH WITH THE BRIDE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> must be told that those +footprints which Face-of-god and the Sun-beam had blessed betwixt +jest and earnest had more to do with them than they wotted +of. For Folk-might, who had had many thoughts and longings +since he had seen the Bride again, rose up early about sunrise, +and went out-a-doors, and wandered about the Burg, letting his +eyes stray over the goodly stone houses and their trim gardens, +yet noting them little, since the Bride was not there.</p> +<p>At last he came to where there was an open place, +straight-sided, longer than it was wide, with a wall on each side +of it, over which showed the blossomed boughs of pear and cherry +and plum-trees: on either hand before the wall was a row of great +lindens, now showing their first tender green, especially on +their lower twigs, where they were sheltered by the wall. +At the nether end of this place Folk-might saw a grey stone +house, and he went towards it betwixt the lindens, for it seemed +right great, and presently was but a score of paces from its +door, and as yet there was no man, carle or queen, stirring about +it.</p> +<p>It was a long low house with a very steep roof; but belike the +hall was built over some undercroft, for many steps went up to +the door on either hand; and the doorway was low, with a <a +name="page276"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 276</span>straight +lintel under its arch. This house, like the House of the +Face, seemed ancient and somewhat strange, and Folk-might could +not choose but take note of it. The front was all of good +ashlar work, but it was carven all over, without heed being paid +to the joints of the stones, into one picture of a flowery +meadow, with tall trees and bushes in it, and fowl perched in the +trees and running through the grass, and sheep and kine and oxen +and horses feeding down the meadow; and over the door at the top +of the stair was wrought a great steer bigger than all the other +neat, whose head was turned toward the sun-rising and uplifted +with open mouth, as though he were lowing aloud. Exceeding +fair seemed that house to Folk-might, and as though it were the +dwelling of some great kindred.</p> +<p>But he had scarce gone over it with his eyes, and was just +about to draw nigher yet to it, when the door at the top of those +steps opened, and a woman came out of the house clad in a green +kirtle and a gown of brazil, with a golden-hilted sword girt to +her side. Folk-might saw at once that it was the Bride, and +drew aback behind one of the trees so that she might not see him, +if she had not already seen him, as it seemed not that she had, +for she stayed but for a moment on the top of the stair, looking +out down the tree-rows, and then came down the stair and went +soberly along the road, passing so close to Folk-might that he +could see the fashion of her beauty closely, as one looks into +the work of some deftest artificer. Then it came suddenly +into his head that he would follow her and see whither she was +wending. ‘At least,’ said he to himself, +‘if I come not to speech with her, I shall be nigh unto +her, and shall see somewhat of her beauty.’</p> +<p>So he came out quietly from behind the tree, and followed her +softly; and he was clad in no garment save his kirtle, and bare +no weapons to clash and jingle, though he had his helm on his +head for lack of a softer hat. He kept her well in sight, +and she went straight onward and looked not back. She went +by the way <a name="page277"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +277</span>whereas he had come, till they were in the main street, +wherein as yet was no one afoot; she made her way to the Bridge, +and passed over it into the meadows; but when she had gone but a +few steps, she stayed a little and looked on the ground, and as +she did so turned a little toward Folk-might, who had drawn back +into the last of the refuges over the up-stream buttresses. +He saw that there was a half-smile on her face, but he could not +tell whether she were glad or sorry. A light wind was +beginning to blow, that stirred her raiment and raised a lock of +hair that had strayed from the golden fillet round about her +head, and she looked most marvellous fair.</p> +<p>Now she looked along the grass that glittered under the beams +of the newly-risen sun, and noted belike how heavy the dew lay on +it; and the grass was high already, for the spring had been hot, +and haysel would be early in the Dale. So she put off her +shoes, that were of deerskin and broidered with golden threads, +and turned somewhat from the way, and hung them up amidst the new +green leaves of a hawthorn bush that stood nearby, and so went +thwart the meadow somewhat eastward straight from that bush, and +her feet shone out like pearls amidst the deep green grass.</p> +<p>Folk-might followed presently, and she stayed not again, nor +turned, nor beheld him; he recked not if she had, for then would +he have come up with her and hailed her, and he knew that she was +no foolish maiden to start at the sight of a man who was the +friend of her Folk.</p> +<p>So they went their ways till she came to the strand of the +water-meadow brook aforesaid, and she went through the little +ripples of the shallow without staying, and on through the tall +deep grass of the meadow beyond, to where they met the brook +again; for it swept round the meadow in a wide curve, and turned +back toward itself; so it was some half furlong over from water +to water.</p> +<p>She stood a while on the brink of the brook here, which was +brim-full and nigh running into the grass, because there was a +dam <a name="page278"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 278</span>just +below the place; and Folk-might drew nigher to her under cover of +the thorn-bushes, and looked at the place about her and beyond +her. The meadow beyond stream was very fair and flowery, +but not right great; for it was bounded by a grove of ancient +chestnut trees, that went on and on toward the southern cliffs of +the Dale: in front of the chestnut wood stood a broken row of +black-thorn bushes, now growing green and losing their blossom, +and he could see betwixt them that there was a grassy bank +running along, as if there had once been a turf-wall and ditch +round about the chestnut trees. For indeed this was the old +place of tryst between Gold-mane and the Bride, whereof the tale +hath told before.</p> +<p>The Bride stayed scarce longer than gave him time to note all +this; but he deemed that she was weeping, though he could not +rightly see her face; for her shoulders heaved, and she hung her +face adown and put up her hands to it. But now she went a +little higher up the stream, where the water was shallower, and +waded the stream and went up over the meadow, still weeping, as +he deemed, and went between the black-thorn bushes, and sat her +down on the grassy bank with her back to the chestnut trees.</p> +<p>Folk-might was ashamed to have seen her weeping, and was +half-minded to turn him back again at once; but love constrained +him, and he said to himself, ‘Where shall I see her again +privily if I pass by this time and place?’ So he +waited a little till he deemed she might have mastered the +passion of tears, and then came forth from his bush, and went +down to the water and crossed it, and went quietly over the +meadow straight towards her. But he was not half-way +across, when she lifted up her face from between her hands and +beheld the man coming. She neither started nor rose up; but +straightened herself as she sat, and looked right into +Folk-might’s eyes as he drew near, though the tears were +not dry on her cheeks.</p> +<p>Now he stood before her, and said: ‘Hail to the Daughter +of a mighty House! Mayst thou live happy!’</p> +<p><a name="page279"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 279</span>She +answered: ‘Hail to thee also, Guest of our Folk! Hast +thou been wandering about our meadows, and happened on me +perchance?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ he said; ‘I saw thee come forth from +the House of the Steer, and I followed thee hither.’</p> +<p>She reddened a little, and knit her brow, and said:</p> +<p>‘Thou wilt have something to say to me?’</p> +<p>‘I have much to say to thee,’ he said; ‘yet +it was sweet to me to behold thee, even if I might not speak with +thee.’</p> +<p>She looked on him with her deep simple eyes, and neither +reddened again, nor seemed wroth; then she said:</p> +<p>‘Speak what thou hast in thine heart, and I will hearken +without anger whatsoever it may be; even if thou hast but to tell +me of the passing folly of a mighty man, which in a month or two +he will not remember for sorrow or for joy. Sit here beside +me, and tell me thy thought.’</p> +<p>So he sat him adown and said: ‘Yea, I have much to say +to thee, but it is hard to me to say it. But this I will +say: to-day and yesterday make the third time I have seen +thee. The first time thou wert happy and calm, and no +shadow of trouble was on thee; the second time thine happy days +were waning, though thou scarce knewest it; but to-day and +yesterday thou art constrained by the bonds of grief, and +wouldest loosen them if thou mightest.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘What meanest thou? How knowest thou +this? How may a stranger partake in my joy and my +sorrow?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘As for yesterday, all the people might see thy +grief and know it. But when I beheld thee the first time, I +saw thee that thou wert more fair and lovely than all other +women; and when I was away from thee, the thought of thee and +thine image were with me, and I might not put them away; and oft +at such and such a time I wondered and said to myself, what is +she doing now? though god wot I was dealing with tangles and +troubles and rough deeds enough. But the second time I +beheld thee, when I had looked to have great joy in the sight of +thee, my heart was <a name="page280"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +280</span>smitten with a pang of grief; for I saw thee hanging on +the words and the looks of another man, who was light-minded +toward thee, and that thou wert troubled with the anguish of +doubt and fear. And he knew it not, nor saw it, though I +saw it.’</p> +<p>Her face grew troubled, and the tearful passion stirred within +her. But she held it aback, and said, as anyone might have +said it:</p> +<p>‘How wert thou in the Dale, mighty man? We saw +thee not.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘I came hither hidden in other semblance than +mine own. But meddle not therewith; it availeth +nought. Let me say this, and do thou hearken to it. I +saw thee yesterday in the street, and thou wert as the ghost of +thine old gladness; although belike thou hast striven with +sorrow; for I see thee with a sword by thy side, and we have been +told that thou, O fairest of women, hast given thyself to the +Warrior to be his damsel.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘that is sooth.’</p> +<p>He went on: ‘But the face which thou bearedst yesterday +against thy will, amidst all the people, that was because thou +hadst seen my sister the Sun-beam for the first time, and +Face-of-god with her, hand clinging to hand, lip longing for lip, +desire unsatisfied, but glad with all hope.’</p> +<p>She laid hand upon hand in the lap of her gown, and looked +down, and her voice trembled as she said:</p> +<p>‘Doth it avail to talk of this?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘I know not: it may avail; for I am grieved, +and shall be whilst thou art grieved; and it is my wont to strive +with my griefs till I amend them.’</p> +<p>She turned to him with kind eyes and said:</p> +<p>‘O mighty man, canst thou clear away the tangle which +besetteth the soul of her whose hope hath bewrayed her? +Canst thou make hope grow up in her heart? Friend, I will +tell thee that when I wed, I shall wed for the sake of the +kindred, hoping for no joy therein. Yea, or if by some +chance the desire of man came again into my heart, I should +strive with it to rid myself of it, for I should know of it that +it was but a wasting folly, that <a name="page281"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 281</span>should but beguile me, and wound me, +and depart, leaving me empty of joy and heedless of +life.’</p> +<p>He shook his head and said: ‘Even so thou deemest now; +but one day it shall be otherwise. Or dost thou love thy +sorrow? I tell thee, as it wears thee and wears thee, thou +shalt hate it, and strive to shake it off.’</p> +<p>‘Nay, nay,’ she said; ‘I love it not; for +not only it grieveth me, but also it beateth me down and +belittleth me.’</p> +<p>‘Good is that,’ said he. ‘I know how +strong thine heart is. Now, wilt thou take mine hand, which +is verily the hand of thy friend, and remember what I have told +thee of my grief which cannot be sundered from thine? Shall +we not talk more concerning this? For surely I shall soon +see thee again, and often; since the Warrior, who loveth me +belike, leadeth thee into fellowship with me. Yea, I tell +thee, O friend, that in that fellowship shalt thou find both the +seed of hope, and the sun of desire that shall quicken +it.’</p> +<p>Therewith he arose and stood before her, and held out to her +his hand all hardened with the sword-hilt, and she took it, and +stood up facing him, and said:</p> +<p>‘This much will I tell thee, O friend; that what I have +said to thee this hour, I thought not to have said to any man; or +to talk with a man of the grief that weareth me, or to suffer him +to see my tears; and marvellous I deem it of thee, for all thy +might, that thou hast drawn this speech from out of me, and left +me neither angry nor ashamed, in spite of these tears; and thou +whom I have known not, though thou knewest me!</p> +<p>‘But now it were best that thou depart, and get thee +home to the House of the Face, where I was once so frequent; for +I wot that thou hast much to do; and as thou sayest, it will be +in warfare that I shall see thee. Now I thank thee for thy +words and the thought thou hast had of me, and the pain which +thou hast taken to heal my hurt: I thank thee, I thank thee, for +as grievous as it is to show one’s hurts even to a +friend.’</p> +<p><a name="page282"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 282</span>He +said: ‘O Bride, I thank thee for hearkening to my tale; and +one day shall I thank thee much more. Mayest thou fare well +in the Field and amidst the Folk!’</p> +<p>Therewith he kissed her hand, and turned away, and went across +the meadow and the stream, glad at heart and blithe with +everyone; for kindness grew in him as gladness grew.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVII. OF THE FOLK-MOTE OF THE DALESMEN, THE +SHEPHERD-FOLK, AND THE WOODLAND CARLES: THE BANNER OF THE WOLF +DISPLAYED.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> came the day of the Great +Folk-mote, and there was much thronging from everywhere to the +Mote-stead, but most from Burgstead itself, whereas few of the +Dale-dwellers who had been at the Fair had gone back home. +Albeit some of the Shepherds and of the Dalesmen of the +westernmost Dale had brought light tents, and tilted themselves +in in the night before the Mote down in the meadows below the +Mote-stead. From early morning there had been a stream of +folk on the Portway setting westward; and many came thus early +that they might hold converse with friends and well-wishers; and +some that they might disport them in the woods. Men went in +no ordered bands, as the Burgstead men at least had done on the +day of the Weapon-show, save that a few of them who were arrayed +the bravest gathered about the banners, and went with them to the +Mote-stead; for all the banners must needs be there.</p> +<p>The Folk-mote was to be hallowed-in three hours before noon, +as all men knew; therefore an hour before that time were all men +of the Dale and the Shepherds assembled that might be looked for, +save the Alderman and the chieftains with the banner of the Burg, +and these were not like to come many minutes before the +Hallowing. Folk were gathered on the Field in such wise, +that the men-at-arms made a great ring round about the Doom-ring, +<a name="page283"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 283</span>(albeit +there were many old men there, girt with swords that they should +never heave up again in battle), so that without that ring there +was nought save women and children. But when all the other +Houses were assembled, men looked around, and beheld the place of +the Woodlanders that it was empty; and they marvelled that they +were thus belated. For now all was ready, and a watcher had +gone up to the Tower on the height, and had with him the great +Horn of Warning, which could be heard past the Mote-stead and a +great way down the Dale: and if he saw foes coming from the East +he should blow one blast; if from the South, two; if from the +West, three; if from the North, four.</p> +<p>So half an hour from the appointed time of Hallowing rose the +rumour that the Alderman was on the road, and presently they of +the women who were on the outside of the throng, by drawing nigh +to the edge of the sheer rock, could behold the Banner of the +Burg on the Portway, and soon after could see the wain, done +about with green boughs, wherein sat the chieftains in their +glittering war-gear. Speedily they spread the tidings, and +a confused shout went up into the air; and in a little while the +wain stayed on Wildlake’s Way at the bottom of the steep +slope that went up to the Mote-stead, and the banner of the Burg +came on proudly up the hill. Soon all men beheld it, and +saw that the tall Hall-face bore it in front of his brother +Face-of-god, who came on gleaming in war-gear better than most +men had seen; which was indeed of his father’s fashioning, +and his father’s gift to him that morning.</p> +<p>After Face-of-god came the Alderman, and with him Folk-might +leading the Sun-beam by the hand, and then Stone-face and the +Elder of the Dale-wardens; and then the six Burg-wardens: as to +the other Dale-wardens, they were in their places on the +Field.</p> +<p>So now those who had been standing up turned their faces +toward the Altar of the Gods, and those who had been sitting down +sprang to their feet, and the confused rumour of the throng rose +<a name="page284"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 284</span>into a +clear shout as the chieftains went to their places, and sat them +down on the turf-seats amidst the Doom-ring facing the +Speech-hill and the Altar of the Gods. Amidmost sat the +Alderman, on his right hand Face-of-god, and out from him +Hall-face, and then Stone-face and three of the Wardens; but on +his left hand sat first the two Guests, then the Elder of the +Dale-wardens, and then the other three Burg-wardens; as for the +Banner of the Burg, its staff was stuck into the earth behind +them, and the Banner raised itself in the morning wind and +flapped and rippled over their heads.</p> +<p>There then they sat, and folk abided, and it still lacked some +minutes of the due time, as the Alderman wotted by the shadow of +the great standing-stone betwixt him and the Altar. +Therewithal came the sound of a great horn from out of the wood +on the north side, and men knew it for the horn of the Woodland +Carles, and were glad; for they could not think why they should +be belated; and now men stood up a-tiptoe and on other’s +shoulders to look over the heads of the women and children to +behold their coming; but their empty place was at the southwest +corner of the ring of men.</p> +<p>So presently men beheld them marching toward their place, +cleaving the throng of the women and children, a great company; +for besides that they had with them two score more of men under +weapons than on the day of the Weapon-show, all their little ones +and women and outworn elders were with them, some on foot, some +riding on oxen and asses. In their forefront went the two +signs of the Battle-shaft and the War-spear. But moreover, +in front of all was borne a great staff with the cloth of a +banner wrapped round about it, and tied up with a hempen yarn +that it might not be seen.</p> +<p>Stark and mighty men they looked; tall and lean, +broad-shouldered, dark-faced. As they came amongst the +throng the voice of their horn died out, and for a few moments +they fared on with no sound save the tramp of their feet; then +all at once <a name="page285"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +285</span>the man who bare the hidden banner lifted up one hand, +and straightway they fell to singing, and with that song they +came to their place. And this is some of what they +sang:</p> +<p class="poetry">O white, white Sun, what things of wonder<br /> + Hast thou beheld from thy wall of the sky!<br /> +All the Roofs of the Rich and the grief thereunder,<br /> + As the fear of the Earl-folk flitteth by!</p> +<p class="poetry">Thou hast seen the Flame steal forth from the +Forest<br /> + To slay the slumber of the lands,<br /> +As the Dusky Lord whom thou abhorrest<br /> + Clomb up to thy Burg unbuilt with hands.</p> +<p class="poetry">Thou lookest down from thy door the golden,<br +/> + Nor batest thy wide-shining mirth,<br /> +As the ramparts fall, and the roof-trees olden<br /> + Lie smouldering low on the burning earth.</p> +<p class="poetry">When flitteth the half-dark night of summer<br +/> + From the face of the murder great and grim,<br /> +’Tis thou thyself and no new-comer<br /> + Shines golden-bright on the deed undim.</p> +<p class="poetry">Art thou our friend, O Day-dawn’s +Lover?<br /> + Full oft thine hand hath sent aslant<br /> +Bright beams athwart the Wood-bear’s cover,<br /> + Where the feeble folk and the nameless haunt.</p> +<p class="poetry">Thou hast seen us quail, thou hast seen us +cower,<br /> + Thou hast seen us crouch in the Green Abode,<br /> +While for us wert thou slaying slow hour by hour,<br /> + And smoothing down the war-rough road.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page286"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +286</span>Yea, the rocks of the Waste were thy Dawns +upheaving,<br /> + To let the days of the years go through;<br /> +And thy Noons the tangled brake were cleaving<br /> + The slow-foot seasons’ deed to do.</p> +<p class="poetry">Then gaze adown on this gift of our giving,<br +/> + For the <span class="smcap">Wolf</span> comes +wending frith and ford,<br /> +And the Folk fares forth from the dead to the living,<br /> + For the love of the Lief by the light of the +Sword.</p> +<p>Then ceased the song, and the whole band of the Woodlanders +came pouring tumultuously into the space allotted them, like the +waters pouring over a river-dam, their white swords waving aloft +in the morning sunlight; and wild and strange cries rose up from +amidst them, with sobbing and weeping of joy. But soon +their troubled front sank back into ordered ranks, their bright +blades stood upright in their hands before them, and folk looked +on their company, and deemed it the very Terror of battle and +Render of the ranks of war. Right well were they armed; for +though many of their weapons were ancient and somewhat worn, yet +were they the work of good smiths of old days; and moreover, if +any of them lacked good war-gear of his own, that had the +Alderman and his sons made good to them.</p> +<p>But before the hedge of steel stood the two tall men who held +in their hands the war-tokens of the Battle-shaft and the +War-spear, and betwixt them stood one who was indeed the tallest +man of the whole assembly, who held the great staff of the hidden +banner. And now he reached up his hand, and plucked at the +yarn that bound it, which of set purpose was but feeble, and tore +it off, and then shook the staff aloft with both hands, and +shouted, and lo! the Banner of the Wolf with the Sun-burst behind +him, glittering-bright, new-woven by the women of the kindred, +ran out in the fresh wind, and flapped and rippled before His +warriors there assembled.</p> +<p><a name="page287"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 287</span>Then +from all over the Mote-stead arose an exceeding great shout, and +all men waved aloft their weapons; but the men of Shadowy Vale +who were standing amidst the men of the Face knew not how to +demean themselves, and some of them ran forth into the Field and +leapt for joy, tossing their swords into the air, and catching +them by the hilts as they fell: and amidst it all the Woodlanders +now stood silent, unmoving, as men abiding the word of onset.</p> +<p>As for that brother and sister: the Sun-beam flushed red all +over her face, and pressed her hands to her bosom, and then the +passion of tears over-mastered her, and her breast heaved, and +the tears gushed out of her eyes, and her body was shaken with +weeping. But Folk-might sat still, looking straight before +him, his eyes glittering, his teeth set, his right hand clutching +hard at the hilts of his sword, which lay naked across his +knees. And the Bride, who stood clad in her begemmed and +glittering war-array in the forefront of the Men of the Steer, +nigh unto the seats of the chieftains, beheld Folk-might, and her +face flushed and brightened, and still she looked upon him. +The Alderman’s face was as of one pleased and proud; yet +was its joy shadowed as it were by a cloud of compassion. +Face-of-god sat like the very image of the War-god, and stirred +not, nor looked toward the Sun-beam; for still the thought of the +after-grief of battle, and the death of friends and folk that +loved him, lay heavy on his heart, for all that it beat wildly at +the shouting of the men.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVIII. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: ATONEMENTS +GIVEN, AND MEN MADE SACKLESS.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Amidst</span> the clamour uprose the +Alderman; for it was clear to all men that the Folk-mote should +be holden at once, and the matters of the War, and the +Fellowship, and the choosing of the War-leader, speedily dealt +with. So the Alderman fell <a name="page288"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 288</span>to hallowing in the Folk-mote: he +went up to the Altar of the Gods, and took the Gold-ring off it, +and did it on his arm; then he drew his sword and waved it toward +the four aírts, and spake; and the noise and shouting +fell, and there was silence but for him:</p> +<p>‘Herewith I hallow in this Folk-mote of the Men of the +Dale and the Sheepcotes and the Woodland, in the name of the +Warrior and the Earth-god and the Fathers of the kindreds. +Now let not the peace of the Mote be broken. Let not man +rise against man, or bear blade or hand, or stick or stone +against any. If any man break the Peace of the Holy Mote, +let him be a man accursed, a wild-beast in the Holy Places; an +outcast from home and hearth, from bed and board, from mead and +acre; not to be holpen with bread, nor flesh, nor wine; nor flax, +nor wool, nor any cloth; nor with sword, nor shield, nor axe, nor +plough-share; nor with horse, nor ox, nor ass; with no +saddle-beast nor draught-beast; nor with wain, nor boat, nor +way-leading; nor with fire nor water; nor with any world’s +wealth. Thus let him who hath cast out man be cast out by +man. Now is hallowed-in the Folk-mote of the Men of the +Dale and the Sheepcotes and the Woodlands.’</p> +<p>Therewith he waved his sword again toward the four +aírts, and went and sat down in his place. But +presently he arose again, and said:</p> +<p>‘Now if man hath aught to say against man, and claimeth +boot of any, or would lay guilt on any man’s head, let him +come forth and declare it; and the judges shall be named, and the +case shall be tried this afternoon or to-morrow. Yet first +I shall tell you that I, the Alderman of the Dalesmen, doomed one +Iron-face of the House of the Face to pay a double fine, for that +he drew a sword at the Gate-thing of Burgstead with the intent to +break the peace thereof. Thou, Green-sleeve, bring forth +the peace-breaker’s fine, that Iron-face may lay the same +on the Altar.’</p> +<p>Then came forth a man from the men of the Face bearing a bag, +and he brought it to Iron-face, who went up to the Altar and +poured forth weighed gold from the bag thereon, and said:</p> +<p><a name="page289"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +289</span>‘Warden of the Dale, come thou and weigh +it!’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ quoth the Warden, ‘it needeth not, no +man here doubteth thee, Alderman Iron-face.’</p> +<p>A murmur of yeasay went up, and none had a word to say against +the Alderman, but they praised him rather: also men were eager to +hear of the war, and the fellowship, and to be done with these +petty matters. Then the Alderman rose again and said:</p> +<p>‘Hath any man a grief against any other of the Kindreds +of the Dale, or the Sheepcotes, or the Woodlands?’</p> +<p>None answered or stirred; so after he had waited a while, he +said:</p> +<p>‘Is there any who hath any guilt to lay against a +Stranger, an Outlander, being such a man as he deems we can come +at?’</p> +<p>Thereat was a stir amongst the Men of the Fleece of the +Shepherds, and their ranks opened, and there came forth an +ill-favoured lean old man, long-nebbed, blear-eyed, and bent, +girt with a rusty old sword, but not otherwise armed. And +all men knew Penny-thumb, who had been ransacked last +autumn. As he came forth, it seemed as if his neighbours +had been trying to hold him back; but a stout, broad-shouldered +man, black-haired and red-bearded, made way for the old man, and +led him out of the throng, and stood by him; and this man was +well armed at all points, and looked a doughty carle. He +stood side by side with Penny-thumb, right in front of the men of +his house, and looked about him at first somewhat uneasily, as +though he were ashamed of his fellow; but though many smiled, +none laughed aloud; and they forbore, partly because they knew +the man to be a good man, partly because of the solemn tide of +the Folk-mote, and partly in sooth because they wished all this +to be over, and were as men who had no time for empty mirth.</p> +<p>Then said the Alderman: ‘What wouldest thou, +Penny-thumb, and thou, Bristler, son of Brightling?’</p> +<p>Then Penny-thumb began to speak in a high squeaky voice: <a +name="page290"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +290</span>‘Alderman, and Lord of the Folk!’ But +therewithal Bristle, pulled him back, and said:</p> +<p>‘I am the man who hath taken this quarrel upon me, and +have sworn upon the Holy Boar to carry this feud through; and we +deem, Alderman, that if they who slew Rusty and ransacked +Penny-thumb be not known now, yet they soon may be.’</p> +<p>As he spake, came forth those three men of the Shepherds and +the two Dalesmen who had sworn with him on the Holy Boar. +Then up stood Folk-might, and came forth into the field, and +said:</p> +<p>‘Bristler, son of Brightling, and ye other good men and +true, it is but sooth that the ransackers and the slayer may soon +be known; and here I declare them unto you: I it was and none +other who slew Rusty; and I was the leader of those who ransacked +Penny-thumb, and cowed Harts-bane of Greentofts. As for the +slaying of Rusty, I slew him because he chased me, and would not +forbear, so that I must either slay or be slain, as hath befallen +me erewhile, and will befall again, methinks. As for the +ransacking of Penny-thumb, I needed the goods that I took, and he +needed them not, since he neither used them, nor gave them away, +and, they being gone, he hath lived no worser than +aforetime. Now I say, that if ye will take the outlawry off +me, which, as I hear, ye laid upon me, not knowing me, then will +I handsel self-doom to thee, Bristler, if thou wilt bear thy +grief to purse, and I will pay thee what thou wilt out of hand; +or if perchance thou wilt call me to Holm, thither will I go, if +thou and I come unslain out of this war. As to the +ransacking and cowing of Harts-bane, I say that I am sackless +therein, because the man is but a ruffler and a man of violence, +and hath cowed many men of the Dale; and if he gainsay me, then +do I call him to the Holm after this war is over; either him or +any man who will take his place before my sword.’</p> +<p>Then he held his peace, and man spake to man, and a murmur +arose, as they said for the more part that it was a fair and +manly offer. But Bristler called his fellows and +Penny-thumb to him, <a name="page291"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 291</span>and they spake together; and +sometimes Penny-thumb’s shrill squeak was heard above the +deep-voiced talk of the others; for he was a man that harboured +malice. But at last Bristler spake out and said:</p> +<p>‘Tall man, we know that thou art a chieftain and of good +will to the men of the Dale and their friends, and that want +drave thee to the ransacking, and need to the manslaying, and +neither the living nor the dead to whom thou art guilty are to be +called good men; therefore will I bring the matter to purse, if +thou wilt handsel me self-doom.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, even so let it be,’ quoth Folk-might; and +stepped forward and took Bristler by the hand, and handselled him +self-doom. Then said Bristler:</p> +<p>‘Though Rusty was no good man, and though he followed +thee to slay thee, yet was he in his right therein, since he was +following up his goodman’s gear; therefore shalt thou pay a +full blood-wite for him, that is to say, the worth of three +hundreds in weed-stuff in whatso goods thou wilt. As for +the ransacking of Penny-thumb, he shall deem himself well paid if +thou give him our hundreds in weed-stuff for that which thou +didst borrow of him.’</p> +<p>Then Penny-thumb set up his squeak again, but no man hearkened +to him, and each man said to his neighbour that it was well +doomed of Bristler, and neither too much nor too little. +But Folk-might bade Wood-wont to bring thither to him that which +he had borne to the Mote; and he brought forth a big sack, and +Folk-might emptied it on the earth, and lo! the silver rings of +the slain felons, and they lay in a heap on the green field, and +they were the best of silver. Then the Elder of the +Dale-wardens weighed out from the heap the blood-wite for Rusty, +according to the due measure of the hundred in weed-stuff, and +delivered it unto Bristler. And Folk-might said:</p> +<p>‘Draw nigh now, Penny-thumb, and take what thou wilt of +this gear, which I need not, and grudge not at me +henceforward.’</p> +<p>But Penny-thumb was afraid, and abode where he was; and <a +name="page292"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 292</span>Bristler +laughed, and said: ‘Take it, goodman, take it; spare not +other men’s goods as thou dost thine own.’</p> +<p>And Folk-might stood by, smiling faintly: so Penny-thumb +plucked up a heart, and drew nigh trembling, and took what he +durst from that heap; and all that stood by said that he had +gotten a full double of what had been awarded to him. But +as for him, he went his ways straight from the Mote-stead, and +made no stay till he had gotten him home, and laid the silver up +in a strong coffer; and thereafter he bewailed him sorely that he +had not taken the double of that which he took, since none would +have said him nay.</p> +<p>When he was gone, the Alderman arose and said:</p> +<p>‘Now, since the fines have been paid duly and freely, +according to the dooming of Bristler, take we off the outlawry +from Folk-might and his fellows, and account them to be sackless +before us.’</p> +<p>Then he called for other cases; but no man had aught more to +bring forward against any man, either of the kindreds or the +Strangers.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIX. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: MEN TAKE REDE OF +THE WAR-FARING, THE FELLOWSHIP, AND THE WAR-LEADER. +FOLK-MIGHT TELLETH WHENCE HIS PEOPLE CAME. THE FOLK-MOTE +SUNDERED.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> a great silence fell upon the +throng, and they stood as men abiding some new matter. Unto +them arose the Alderman, and said:</p> +<p>‘Men of the Dale, and ye Shepherds and Woodlanders; it +is well known to you that we have foemen in the wood and beyond +it; and now have we gotten sure tidings, that they will not abide +at home or in the wood, but are minded to fall upon us at +home. Now therefore I will not ask you whether ye will have +peace <a name="page293"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 293</span>or +war; for with these foemen ye may have peace no otherwise save by +war. But if ye think with me, three things have ye to +determine: first, whether ye will abide your foes in your own +houses, or will go meet them at theirs; next, whether ye will +take to you as fellows in arms a valiant folk of the children of +the Gods, who are foemen to our foemen; and lastly, what man ye +will have to be your War-leader. Now, I bid all those here +assembled, to speak hereof, any man of them that will, either +what they may have conceived in their own minds, or what their +kindred may have put into their mouths to speak.’</p> +<p>Therewith he sat down, and in a little while came forth old +Hall-ward of the House of the Steer, and stood before the +Alderman, and said: ‘O Alderman, all we say: Since war is +awake we will not tarry, but will go meet our foes while it is +yet time. The valiant men of whom thou tellest shall be our +fellows, were there but three of them. We know no better +War-leader than Face-of-god of the House of the Face. Let +him lead us.’</p> +<p>Therewith he went his ways; and next came forth War-well, and +said: ‘The House of the Bridge would have Face-of-god for +War-leader, these tall men for fellows, and the shortest way to +meet the foe.’ And he went back to his place.</p> +<p>Next came Fox of Upton, and said: ‘Time presses, or much +might be spoken. Thus saith the House of the Bull: Let us +go meet the foe, and take these valiant strangers for +way-leaders, and Face-of-god for War-leader.’ And he +also went back again.</p> +<p>Then came forth two men together, an old man and a young, and +the old man spake as soon as he stood still: ‘The Men of +the Vine bid me say their will: They will not stay at home to +have their houses burned over their heads, themselves slain on +their own hearths, and their wives haled off to thralldom. +They will take any man for their fellow in arms who will smite +stark strokes on their side. They know Face-of-god, and +were liefer of him for War-leader than any other, and they will +follow him wheresoever he leadeth. Thus my kindred biddeth +me say, and I hight <a name="page294"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 294</span>Fork-beard of Lea. If I live +through this war, I shall have lived through five.’</p> +<p>Therewith he went back to his place; but the young man lifted +up his voice and said: ‘To all this I say yea, and so am I +bidden by the kindred of the Sickle. I am Red-beard of the +Knolls, the son of my father.’ And he went to his +place again.</p> +<p>Then came forth Stone-face, and said: ‘The House of the +Face saith: Lead us through the wood, O Face-of-god, thou +War-leader, and ye warriors of the Wolf. I am Stone-face, +as men know, and this word hath been given to me by the +kindred.’ And he took his place again.</p> +<p>Then came forth together the three chiefs of the Shepherds, to +wit Hound-under-Greenbury, Strongitharm, and the Hyllier; and +Strongitharm spake for all three, and said:</p> +<p>‘The Men of Greenbury, and they of the Fleece and the +Thorn, are of one accord, and bid us say that they are well +pleased to have Face-of-god for War-leader; and that they will +follow him and the warriors of the Wolf to live or die with them; +and that they are ready to go meet the foe at once, and will not +skulk behind the walls of Greenbury.’</p> +<p>Therewith the three went back again to their places.</p> +<p>Then came forth that tall man that bare the Banner of the +Wolf, when he had given the staff into the hands of him who stood +next. He came and stood over against the seat of the +chieftains; and for a while he could say no word, but stood +struggling with the strong passion of his joy; but at last he +lifted his hands aloft, and cried out in a loud voice:</p> +<p>‘O war, war! O death! O wounding and +grief! O loss of friends and kindred! let all this be +rather than the drawing back of meeting hands and the sundering +of yearning hearts!’ and he went back hastily to his +place. But from the ranks of the Woodlanders ran forth a +young man, and cried out:</p> +<p>‘As is the word of Red-wolf, so is my word, Bears-bane +of Carlstead; and this is the word which our little Folk hath put +<a name="page295"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 295</span>into our +mouths; and O! that our hands may show the meaning of our mouths; +for nought else can.’</p> +<p>Then indeed went up a great shout, though many forebore to cry +out; for now were they too much moved for words or sounds. +And in special was Face-of-god moved; and he scarce knew which +way to look, lest he should break out into sobs and weeping; for +of late he had been much among the Woodlanders, and loved them +much.</p> +<p>Then all the noise and clamour fell, and it was to men as if +they who had come thither a folk, had now become an host of +war.</p> +<p>But once again the Alderman rose up and spake:</p> +<p>‘Now have ye yeasaid three things: That we take +Face-of-god of the House of the Face for our War-leader; that we +fare under weapons at once against them who would murder us; and +that we take the valiant Folk of the Wolf for our fellows in +arms.’</p> +<p>Therewith he stayed his speech, and this time the shout arose +clear and most mighty, with the tossing up of swords and the +clashing of weapons on shields.</p> +<p>Then he said: ‘Now, if any man will speak, here is the +War-leader, and here is the chief of our new friends, to answer +to whatso any of the kindred would have answered.’</p> +<p>Thereon came forth the Fiddle from amongst the Men of the +Sickle, and drew somewhat nigh to the Alderman, and said:</p> +<p>‘Alderman, we would ask of the War-leader if he hath +devised the manner of our assembling, and the way of our +war-faring, and the day of our hosting. More than this I +will not ask of him, because we wot that in so great an assembly +it may be that the foe may have some spy of whom we wot not; and +though this be not likely, yet some folk may babble; therefore it +is best for the wise to be wise everywhere and always. +Therefore my rede it is, that no man ask any more concerning +this, but let it lie with the War-leader to bring us face to face +with the foe as speedily as he may.’</p> +<p>All men said that this was well counselled. But +Face-of-god <a name="page296"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +296</span>arose and said: ‘Ye Men of the Dale, ye Shepherds +and Woodlanders, meseemeth the Fiddle hath spoken wisely. +Now therefore I answer him and say, that I have so ordered +everything since the Gate-thing was holden at Burgstead, that we +may come face to face with the foemen by the shortest of +roads. Every man shall be duly summoned to the Hosting, and +if any man fail, let it be accounted a shame to him for +ever.’</p> +<p>A great shout followed on his words, and he sat down +again. But Fox of Upton came forth and said:</p> +<p>‘O Alderman, we have yeasaid the fellowship of the +valiant men who have come to us from out of the waste; but this +we have done, not because we have known them, otherwise than by +what our kinsman Face-of-god hath told us concerning them, but +because we have seen clearly that they will be of much avail to +us in our warfare. Now, therefore, if the tall chieftain +who sitteth beside thee were to do us to wit what he is, and +whence he and his are come, it were well, and fain were we +thereof; but if he listeth not to tell us, that also shall be +well.’</p> +<p>Then arose Folk-might in his place; but or ever he could open +his mouth to speak, the tall Red-wolf strode forward bearing with +him the Banner of the Wolf and the Sun-burst, and came and stood +beside him; and the wind ran through the folds of the banner, and +rippled it out above the heads of those twain. Then +Folk-might spake and said:</p> +<p class="poetry">‘O Men of the Dale and the Sheepcotes, I +will do as ye bid me do;<br /> +And fain were ye of the story if every deal ye knew.<br /> +But long, long were its telling, were I to tell it all:<br /> +Let it bide till the Cup of Deliverance ye drink from hall to +hall.<br /> +<br /> +‘Like you we be of the kindreds, of the Sons of the Gods we +come,<br /> +Midst the Mid-earth’s mighty Woodland of old we had our +home;<br /> +But of older time we abided ’neath the mountains of the +Earth,<br /> +O’er which the Sun ariseth to waken woe and mirth.<br /> +<br /> +<a name="page297"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 297</span>Great +were we then and many; but the long days wore us thin,<br /> +And war, wherein the winner hath weary work to win.<br /> +And the woodland wall behind us e’en like ourselves was +worn,<br /> +And the tramp of the hosts of the foemen adown its glades was +borne<br /> +On the wind that bent our wheat-fields. So in the morn we +rose,<br /> +And left behind the stubble and the autumn-fruited close,<br /> +And went our ways to the westward, nor turned aback to see<br /> +The glare of our burning houses rise over brake and tree.<br /> +But the foe was fierce and speedy, nor long they tarried +there,<br /> +And through the woods of battle our laden wains must fare;<br /> +And the Sons of the Wolf were minished, and the maids of the Wolf +waxed few,<br /> +As amidst the victory-singing we fared the wild-wood through.<br +/> +<br /> +‘So saith the ancient story, that west and west we went,<br +/> +And many a day of battle we had in brake, on bent;<br /> +Whilst here a while we tarried, and there we hastened on,<br /> +And still the battle-harvest from many a folk we won.<br /> +<br /> +‘Of the tale of the days who wotteth? Of the years +what man can tell,<br /> +While the Sons of the Wolf were wandering, and knew not where to +dwell?<br /> +But at last we clomb the mountains, and mickle was our toil,<br +/> +As high the spear-wood clambered of the drivers of the spoil;<br +/> +And tangled were the passes and the beacons flared behind,<br /> +And the horns of gathering onset came up upon the wind.<br /> +So saith the ancient story, that we stood in a mountain-cleft,<br +/> +Where the ways and the valleys sundered to the right hand and the +left.<br /> +There in the place of sundering all woeful was the rede;<br /> +We knew no land before us, and behind was heavy need.<br /> +As the sword cleaves through the byrny, so there the mountain +flank<br /> +Cleft through the God-kin’s people; and ne’er again +we drank<br /> +<a name="page298"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 298</span>The wine +of war together, or feasted side by side<br /> +In the Feast-hall of the Warrior on the fruit of the +battle-tide.<br /> +For there we turned and sundered; unto the North we went<br /> +And up along the waters, and the clattering stony bent;<br /> +And unto the South and the Sheepcotes down went our +sister’s sons;<br /> +And O for the years passed over since we saw those valiant +ones!’</p> +<p>He ceased, and laid his right hand on the banner-staff a +little below the left hand of Red-wolf; and men were so keen to +hear each word that he spake, that there was no cry nor sound of +voices when he had done, only the sound of the rippling banner of +the Wolf over the heads of those twain. The Sun-beam bowed +her head now, and wept silently. But the Bride, she had +drawn her sword, and held it upright in her hand before her, and +the sun smote fire from out of it.</p> +<p>Then it was but a little while before Red-wolf lifted up his +voice, and sang:</p> +<p class="poetry">‘Hearken a wonder, O Folk of the +Field,<br /> +How they that did sunder stand shield beside shield!</p> +<p class="poetry">Lo! the old wont and manner by fearless folk +made,<br /> +On the Bole of the Banner the brothers’ hands laid.</p> +<p class="poetry">Lo! here the token of what hath betid!<br /> +Grown whole is the broken, found that which was hid.</p> +<p class="poetry">Now one way we follow whate’er shall +befall;<br /> +As seeketh the swallow his yesteryear’s hall.</p> +<p class="poetry">Seldom folk fewer to fight-stead hath fared;<br +/> +Ne’er have men truer the battle-reed bared.</p> +<p class="poetry">Grey locks now I carry, and old am I grown,<br +/> +Nor looked I to tarry to meet with mine own.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page299"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +299</span>For we who remember the deeds of old days<br /> +Were nought but the ember of battle ablaze.</p> +<p class="poetry">For what man might aid us? what deed and what +day<br /> +Should come where Weird laid us aloof from the way?</p> +<p class="poetry">What man save that other of Twain rent +apart,<br /> +Our war-friend, our Brother, the piece of our heart.</p> +<p class="poetry">Then hearken the wonder how shield beside +shield<br /> +The twain that did sunder wend down to the Field!’</p> +<p>Now when he had made an end, men could no longer forebear the +shout; and it went up into the heavens, and was borne by the +west-wind down the Dale to the ears of the stay-at-home women and +men unmeet to go abroad, and it quickened their blood and the +spirits within them as they heard it, and they smiled and were +fain; for they knew that their kinsfolk were glad.</p> +<p>But when there was quiet on the Mote-field again, Folk-might +spake again and said;</p> +<p class="poetry">‘It is sooth that my Brother sayeth, and +that now again we wend,<br /> +All the Sons of the Wolf together, till the trouble hath an +end.<br /> +But as for that tale of the Ancients, it saith that we who +went<br /> +To the northward, climbed and stumbled o’er many a stony +bent,<br /> +Till we happed on that isle of the waste-land, and the grass of +Shadowy Vale,<br /> +Where we dwelt till we throve a little, and felt our might +avail.<br /> +Then we fared abroad from the shadow and the little-lighted +hold,<br /> +And the increase fell to the valiant, and the spoil to the +battle-bold,<br /> +And never a man gainsaid us with the weapons in our hands;<br /> +And in Silver-dale the happy we gat us life and lands.</p> +<p class="poetry">‘So wore the years o’er-wealthy; +and meseemeth that ye know<br /> +How we sowed and reaped destruction, and the Day of the +overthrow:<br /> +<a name="page300"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 300</span>How we +leaned on the staff we had broken, and put our lives in the +hand<br /> +Of those whom we had vanquished and the feeble of the land;<br /> +And these were the stone of stumbling, and the burden not to be +borne,<br /> +When the battle-blast fell on us and our day was over-worn.<br /> +Thus then did our wealth bewray us, and left us wise and sad;<br +/> +And to you, bold men, it falleth once more to make us glad,<br /> +If so your hearts are bidding, and ye deem the deed of worth.<br +/> +Such were we; what we shall be, ’tis yours to say +henceforth.’</p> +<p>He said furthermore: ‘How great we have been I have told +you already; and ye shall see for yourselves how little we be +now. Is it enough, and will ye have us for friends and +brothers? How say ye?’</p> +<p>They answered with shout upon shout, so that all the place and +the wild-wood round about was full of the voice of their crying; +but when the clamour fell, then spake the Alderman and said:</p> +<p>‘Friend, and chieftain of the Wolf, thou mayst hear by +this shouting of the people that we have no mind to naysay our +yea-say. And know that it is not our use and manner to seek +the strong for friends, and to thrust aside the weak; but rather +to choose for our friends them who are of like mind to us, men in +whom we put our trust. From henceforth then there is +brotherhood between us; we are yours, and ye are ours; and let +this endure for ever!’</p> +<p>Then were all men full of joy; and now at last the battle +seemed at hand, and the peace beyond the battle.</p> +<p>Then men brought the hallowed beasts all garlanded with +flowers into the Doom-ring, and there were they slain and offered +up unto the Gods, to wit the Warrior, the Earth-god, and the +Fathers; and thereafter was solemn feast holden on the Field of +the Folk-mote, and all men were fain and merry. +Nevertheless, not all men abode there the feast through; for or +ever the afternoon was well worn, were many men wending along the +Portway <a name="page301"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +301</span>eastward toward the Upper Dale, each man in his +war-gear and with a scrip hung about him; and these were they who +were bound for the trysting-place and the journey over the +waste.</p> +<p>So the Folk-mote was sundered; and men went to their houses, +and there abode in peace the time of their summoning; since they +wotted well that the Hosting was afoot.</p> +<p>But as for the Woodlanders, who were at the Mote-stead with +all their folk, women, children, and old men, they went not back +again to Carlstead; but prayed the neighbours of the Middle Dale +to suffer them to abide there awhile, which they yeasaid with a +good will. So the Woodlanders tilted themselves in, the +more part of them, down in the meadows below the Mote-stead, +along either side of Wildlake’s Way; but their ancient +folk, and some of the women and children, the neighbours would +have into their houses, and the rest they furnished with victual +and all that they needed without price, looking upon them as +their very guests. For indeed they deemed that they could +see that these men would never return to Carlstead, but would +abide with the Men of the Wolf in Silver-dale, once it were +won. And this they deemed but meet and right, yet were they +sorry thereof; for the Woodlanders were well beloved of all the +Dalesmen; and now that they had gotten to know that they were +come of so noble a kindred, they were better beloved yet, and +more looked upon.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XL. OF THE HOSTING IN SHADOWY VALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was on the evening of the fourth +day after the Folk-mote that there came through the Waste to the +rocky edge of Shadowy Vale a band of some fifteen score of +men-at-arms, and with them a multitude of women and children and +old men, some afoot, some riding on asses and bullocks; and with +them were sumpter asses and neat laden with household goods, and +a few goats and kine. And this was the whole folk of the +Woodlanders come <a name="page302"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +302</span>to the Hosting in Shadowy Vale and the Home of the +Children of the Wolf. Their leaders of the way were +Wood-father and Wood-wont and two other carles of Shadowy Vale; +and Red-wolf the tall, and Bears-bane and War-grove were the +captains and chieftains of their company.</p> +<p>Thus then they entered into the narrow pass aforesaid, which +was the ingate to the Vale from the Waste, and little by little +its dimness swallowed up their long line. As they went by +the place where the lowering of the rock-wall gave a glimpse of +the valley, they looked down into it as Face-of-god had done, but +much change was there in little time. There was the black +wall of crags on the other side stretching down to the ghyll of +the great Force; there ran the deep green waters of the Shivering +Flood; but the grass which Face-of-god had seen naked of +everything but a few kine, thereon now the tents of men stood +thick. Their hearts swelled within them as they beheld it, +but they forebore the shout and the cry till they should be well +within the Vale, and so went down silently into the +darkness. But as their eyes caught that dim image of the +Wolf on the wall of the pass, man pointed it out to man, and not +a few turned and kissed it hurriedly; and to them it seemed that +many a kiss had been laid on that dear token since the days of +old, and that the hard stone had been worn away by the fervent +lips of men, and that the air of the mirk place yet quivered with +the vows sworn over the sword-blade.</p> +<p>But down through the dark they went, and so came on to the +stony scree at the end of the pass and into the Vale; and the +whole Folk save the three chieftains flowed over it and stood +about it down on the level grass of the Vale. But those +three stood yet on the top of the scree, bearing the war-signs of +the Shaft and the Spear, and betwixt them the banner of the Wolf +and the Sunburst newly displayed to the winds of Shadowy +Vale.</p> +<p>Up and down the Vale they looked, and saw before the tents of +men the old familiar banners of Burgdale rising and falling in +the evening wind. But amidst of the Doom-ring was pitched a +<a name="page303"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 303</span>great +banner, whereon was done the image of the Wolf with red gaping +jaws on a field of green; and about him stood other banners, to +wit, The Silver Arm on a red field, the Red Hand on a white +field, and on green fields both, the Golden Bushel and the Ragged +Sword.</p> +<p>All about the plain shone glittering war-gear of men as they +moved hither and thither, and a stream of folk began at once to +draw toward the scree to look on those new-comers; and amidst the +helmed Burgdalers and the white-coated Shepherds went the tall +men of the Wolf, bare-headed and unarmed save for their swords, +mingled with the fair strong women of the kindred, treading +barefoot the soft grass of their own Vale.</p> +<p>Presently there was a great throng gathered round about the +Woodlanders, and each man as he joined it waved hand or weapon +toward them, and the joy of their welcome sent a confused clamour +through the air. Then forth from the throng stepped +Folk-might, unarmed save his sword, and behind him was +Face-of-god, in his war-gear save his helm, hand in hand with the +Sun-beam, who was clad in her goodly flowered green kirtle, her +feet naked like her sisters of the kindred.</p> +<p>Then Folk-might cried aloud: ‘A full and free greeting +to our brothers! Well be ye, O Sons of our Ancient +Fathers! And to-day are ye the dearer to us because we see +that ye have brought us a gift, to wit, your wives and children, +and your grandsires unmeet for war. By this token we see +how great is your trust in us, and that it is your meaning never +to sunder from us again. O well be ye; well be +ye!’</p> +<p>Then spake Red-wolf, and said: ‘Ye Sons of the Wolf, who +parted from us of old time in that cleft of the mountains, it is +our very selves that we give unto you; and these are a part of +ourselves; how then should we leave them behind us? Bear +witness, O men of Burgdale and the Sheepcotes, that we have +become one Folk with the men of Shadowy Vale, never to be +sundered again!’</p> +<p><a name="page304"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 304</span>Then +all that multitude shouted with a loud voice; and when the shout +had died away, Folk-might spake again:</p> +<p>‘O Warriors of the Sundering, here shall your wives and +children abide, while we go a little journey to rejoice our +hearts with the hard handplay, and take to us that which we have +missed: and to-morrow morn is appointed for this same journey, +unless ye be over foot-weary with the ways of the +Waste.’</p> +<p>Red-wolf smiled as he answered: ‘This ye say in jest, +brother; for ye may see that our day’s journey hath not +been over-much for our old men; how then should it weary those +who may yet bear sword? We are ready for the road and eager +for the handplay.’</p> +<p>‘This is well,’ said Folk-might, ‘and what +was to be looked for. Therefore, brother, do ye and your +counsel-mates come straightway to the Hall of the Wolf; wherein, +after ye have eaten and drunken, shall we take counsel with our +brethren of Burgdale and the Sheepcotes, so that all may be +ordered for battle!’</p> +<p>Said Red-wolf: ‘Good is that, if we must needs abide +till to-morrow; for verily we came not hither to eat and drink +and rest our bodies; but it must be as ye will have +it.’</p> +<p>Then the Sun-beam left the hand of Face-of-god and came +forward, and held out both her palms to the Woodland-folk, and +spake in a voice that was heard afar, though it were a +woman’s, so clear and sweet it was; and she said:</p> +<p>‘O Warriors of the Sundering, ye who be not needed in +the Hall, and ye our sisters with your little ones and your +fathers, come now to us and down to the tents which we have +arrayed for you, and there think for a little that we are all at +our very home that we long for and have yet to win, and be ye +merry with us and make us merry.’</p> +<p>Therewith she stepped forward daintily and entered into their +throng, and took an old man of the Woodlanders by the hand, and +kissed his cheek and led him away, and the coming rest seemed +sweet to him. And then came other women of the Vale, kind +and <a name="page305"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 305</span>fair +and smiling, and led away, some an old mother of the +Wood-landers, some a young wife, some a pair of lads; and not a +few forsooth kissed and embraced the stark warriors, and went +away with them toward the tents, which stood along the side of +the Shivering Flood where it was at its quietest; for there was +the grass the softest and most abundant. There on the green +grass were tables arrayed, and lamps were hung above them on +spears, to be litten when the daylight should fail. And the +best of the victual which the Vale could give was spread on the +boards, along with wine and dainties, bought in Silver-dale, or +on the edges of the Westland with sword-strokes and +arrow-flight.</p> +<p>There then they feasted and were merry; and the Sun-beam and +Bow-may and the other women of the Vale served them at table, and +were very blithe with them, caressing them with soft words, and +with clipping and kissing, as folk who were grown exceeding dear +to them; so that that eve of battle was softer and sweeter to +them than any hour of their life. With these feasters were +God-swain and Spear-fist of the delivered thralls of Silver-dale +as glad as glad might be; but Wolf-stone their eldest was gone +with Dallach to the Council in the Hall.</p> +<p>The men of Burgdale and the Shepherds feasted otherwhere in +all content, nor lacked folk of the Vale to serve them. +Amongst the men of the Face were the ten delivered thralls who +had heart to meet their masters in arms: seven of them were of +Rose-dale and three of Silver-dale.</p> +<p>The Bride was with her kindred of the Steer, with whom were +many men of Shadowy Vale, and she served her friends and fellows +clad in her war-gear, save helm and hauberk, bearing herself as +one who is serving dear guests. And men equalled her for +her beauty to the Gods of the High Place and the Choosers of the +Slain; and they who had not beheld her before marvelled at her, +and her loveliness held all men’s hearts in a net of +desire, so that they forebore their meat to gaze upon her; and if +perchance her hand touched some young man, or her cheek or +sweet-breathed <a name="page306"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +306</span>mouth came nigh to his face, he became bewildered and +wist not where he was, nor what to do. Yet was she as lowly +and simple of speech and demeanour as if she were a gooseherd of +fourteen winters.</p> +<p>In the Hall was a goodly company, and all the leaders of the +Folk were therein, and Folk-might and the War-leader sitting in +the midst of those stone seats on the days. There then they +agreed on the whole ordering of the battle and the wending of the +host, as shall be told later on; and this matter was long +a-doing, and when it was done, men went to their places to sleep, +for the night was well worn.</p> +<p>But when men had departed and all was still, Folk-might, +light-clad and without a weapon, left the Hall and walked briskly +toward the nether end of the Vale. He passed by all the +tents, the last whereof were of the House of the Steer, and came +to a place where was a great rock rising straight up from the +plain like sheaves of black staves standing close together; and +it was called Staff-stone, and tales of the elves had been told +concerning it, so that Stone-face had beheld it gladly the day +before.</p> +<p>The moon was just shining into Shadowy Vale, and the grass was +bright wheresoever the shadows of the high cliffs were not, and +the face of Staff-stone shone bright grey as Folk-might came +within sight of it, and he beheld someone sitting at the base of +the rock, and as he drew nigher he saw that it was a woman, and +knew her for the Bride; for he had prayed her to abide him there +that night, because it was nigh to the tents of the House of the +Steer; and his heart was glad as he drew nigh to her.</p> +<p>She sat quietly on a fragment of the black rock, clad as she +had been all day, in her glittering kirtle, but without hauberk +or helm, a wreath of wind-flowers about her head, her feet +crossed over each other, her hands laid palm uppermost in her +lap. She moved not as he drew nigh, but said in a gentle +voice when he was close to her:</p> +<p>‘Chief of the Wolf, great warrior, thou wouldest speak +with <a name="page307"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 307</span>me; +and good it is that friends should talk together on the eve of +battle, when they may never meet alive again.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘My talk shall not be long; for thou and I both +must sleep to-night, since there is work to hand to-morrow. +Now since, as thou sayest, O fairest of women, we may never meet +again alive, I ask thee now at this hour, when we both live and +are near to one another, to suffer me to speak to thee of my love +of thee and desire for thee. Surely thou, who art the +sweetest of all things the Gods and the kindreds have made, wilt +not gainsay me this?’</p> +<p>She said very sweetly, yet smiling: ‘Brother of my +father’s sons, how can I gainsay thee thy speech? +Nay, hast thou not said it? What more canst thou add to it +that will have fresh meaning to mine ears?’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Thou sayest sooth: might I then but kiss thine +hand?’</p> +<p>She said, no longer smiling: ‘Yea surely, even so may +all men do who can be called my friends—and thou art much +my friend.’</p> +<p>He took her hand and kissed it, and held it thereafter; nor +did she draw it away. The moon shone brightly on them; but +by its light he could not see if she reddened, but he deemed that +her face was troubled. Then he said: ‘It were better +for me if I might kiss thy face, and take thee in mine +arms.’</p> +<p>Then said she: ‘This only shall a man do with me when I +long to do the like with him. And since thou art so much my +friend, I will tell thee that as for this longing, I have it +not. Bethink thee what a little while it is since the lack +of another man’s love grieved me sorely.’</p> +<p>‘The time is short,’ said Folk-might, ‘if we +tell up the hours thereof; but in that short space have a many +things betid.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘Dost thou know, canst thou guess, how sorely +ashamed I went amongst my people? I durst look no man in +the face for the aching of mine heart, which methought all might +see through my face.’</p> +<p><a name="page308"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +308</span>‘I knew it well,’ he said; ‘yet of me +wert thou not ashamed but a little while ago, when thou didst +tell me of thy grief.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘True it is; and thou wert kind to me. +Thou didst become a dear friend to me, methought.’</p> +<p>‘And wilt thou hurt a dear friend?’ said he.</p> +<p>‘O no,’ she said, ‘if I might do +otherwise. Yet how if I might not choose? Shall there +be no forgiveness for me then?’</p> +<p>He answered nothing; and still he held her hand that strove +not to be gone from his, and she cast down her eyes. Then +he spake in a while:</p> +<p>‘My friend, I have been thinking of thee and of me; and +now hearken: if thou wilt declare that thou feelest no sweetness +embracing thine heart when I say that I desire thee sorely, as +now I say it; or when I kiss thine hand, as now I kiss it; or +when I pray thee to suffer me to cast mine arms about thee and +kiss thy face, as now I pray it: if thou wilt say this, then will +I take thee by the hand straightway, and lead thee to the tents +of the House of the Steer, and say farewell to thee till the +battle is over. Canst thou say this out of the truth of +thine heart?’</p> +<p>She said: ‘What then if I cannot say this word? +What then?’</p> +<p>But he answered nothing; and she sat still a little while, and +then arose and stood before him, looking him in the eyes, and +said:</p> +<p>‘I cannot say it.’</p> +<p>Then he caught her in his arms and strained her to him, and +then kissed her lips and her face again and again, and she strove +not with him. But at last she said:</p> +<p>‘Yet after all this shalt thou lead me back to my folk +straight-way; and when the battle is done, if both we are living, +then shall we speak more thereof.’</p> +<p>So he took her hand and led her on toward the tents of the +Steer, and for a while he spake nought; for he doubted himself, +what he should say; but at last he spake:</p> +<p>‘Now is this better for me than if it had not been, +whether I <a name="page309"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +309</span>live or whether I die. Yet thou hast not said +that thou lovest me and desirest me.’</p> +<p>‘Wilt thou compel me?’ she said. +‘To-night I may not say it. Who shall say what words +my lips shall fashion when we stand together victorious in +Silver-dale; then indeed may the time seem long from +now.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Yea, true is that; yet once again I say that +so measured long and long is the time since first I saw thee in +Burgdale before thou knewest me. Yet now I will not bicker +with thee, for be sure that I am glad at heart. And lo you! +our feet have brought us to the tents of thy people. All +good go with thee!’</p> +<p>‘And with thee, sweet friend,’ she said. +Then she lingered a little, turning her head toward the tents, +and then turned her face toward him and laid her hand on his +neck, and drew his head adown to her and kissed his cheek, and +therewith swiftly and lightly departed from him.</p> +<p>Now the night wore and the morning came; and Face-of-god was +abroad very early in the morning, as his custom was; and he +washed the night from off him in the Carles’ Bath of the +Shivering Flood, and then went round through the encampment of +the host, and saw none stirring save here and there the last +watchmen of the night. He spake with one or two of these, +and then went up to the head of the Vale, where was the pass that +led to Silver-dale; and there he saw the watch, and spake with +them, and they told him that none had as yet come forth from the +pass, and he bade them to blow the horn of warning to rouse up +the Host as soon as the messengers came thence. For +forerunners had been sent up the pass, and had been set to hold +watch at divers places therein to pass on the word from place to +place.</p> +<p>Thence went Face-of-god back toward the Hall; but when he was +yet some way from it, he saw a slender glittering warrior come +forth from the door thereof, who stood for a moment looking round +about, and then came lightly and swiftly toward him; and lo! it +was the Sun-beam, with a long hauberk over her kirtle <a +name="page310"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 310</span>falling +below her knees, a helm on her head and plated shoes on her +feet. She came up to him, and laid her hand to his cheek +and the golden locks of his head (for he was bare-headed), and +said to him, smiling:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane! thou badest me bear arms, and Folk-might +also constrained me thereto. Lo thou!’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Folk-might is wise then, even as I +am; and forsooth as thou art. For bethink thee if the bow +drawn at a venture should speed the eyeless shaft against thy +breast, and send me forth a wanderer from my Folk! For how +could I bear the sight of the fair Dale, and no hope to see thee +again therein?’</p> +<p>She said: ‘The heart is light within me to-day. +Deemest thou that this is strange? Or dost thou call to +mind that which thou spakest the other day, that it was of no +avail to stand in the Doom-ring of the Folk and bear witness +against ourselves? This will I not. This is no +light-mindedness that thou beholdest in me, but the valiancy that +the Fathers have set in mine heart. Deem not, O Gold-mane, +fear not, that we shall die before they dight the bride-bed for +us.’</p> +<p>He would have kissed her mouth, but she put him away with her +hand, and doffed her helm and laid it on the grass, and said:</p> +<p>‘This is not the last time that thou shalt kiss me, +Gold-mane, my dear; and yet I long for it as if it were, so high +as the Fathers have raised me up this morn above fear and +sadness.’</p> +<p>He said nought, but drew her to him, and wonder so moved him, +that he looked long and closely at her face before he kissed her; +and forsooth he could find no blemish in it: it was as if it were +but new come from the smithy of the Gods, and exceeding longing +took hold of him. But even as their lips met, from the head +of the Vale came the voice of the great horn; and it was answered +straightway by the watchers all down the tents; and presently +arose the shouts of men and the clash of weapons as folk armed +themselves, and laughter therewith, for most men were +battle-merry, and the cries of women shrilly-clear as they <a +name="page311"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 311</span>hastened +about, busy over the morning meal before the departure of the +Host. But Face-of-god said softly, still caressing the +Sun-beam, and she him:</p> +<p>‘Thus then we depart from this Valley of the Shadows, +but as thou saidst when first we met therein, there shall be no +sundering of thee and me, but thou shalt go down with me to the +battle.’</p> +<p>And he led her by the hand into the Hall of the Wolf, and +there they ate a morsel, and thereafter Face-of-god tarried not, +but busied himself along with Folk-might and the other chieftains +in arraying the Host for departure.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLI. THE HOST DEPARTETH FROM SHADOWY VALE: THE +FIRST DAY’S JOURNEY.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was about three hours before +noon that the Host began to enter into the pass out of Shadowy +Vale by the river-side; and the women and children, and men +unfightworthy, stood on the higher ground at the foot of the +cliffs to see the Host wend on the way. Of these a many +were of the Woodlanders, who were now one folk with them of +Shadowy Vale. And all these had chosen to abide tidings in +the Vale, deeming that there was little danger therein, since +that last slaughter which Folk-might had made of the Dusky Men; +albeit Face-of-god had offered to send them all to Burgstead with +two score and ten men-at-arms to guard them by the way and to eke +out the warders of the Burg.</p> +<p>Now the fighting-men of Shadowy Vale were two long hundreds +lacking five; of whom two score and ten were women, and three +score and ten lads under twenty winters; but the women, though +you might scarce see fairer of face and body, were doughty in +arms, all good shooters in the bow; and the swains were eager and +light-foot, cragsmen of the best, wont to scaling the cliffs of +the Vale in search of the nests of gerfalcons <a +name="page312"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 312</span>and +such-like fowl, and swimming the strong streams of the Shivering +Flood; tough bodies and wiry, stronger than most grown men, and +as fearless as the best.</p> +<p>The order of the Departure of the Host was this:</p> +<p>The Woodlanders went first into the pass, and with them were +two score of the ripe Warriors of the Wolf. Then came of +the kindreds of Burgdale, the Men of the Steer, the Bridge, and +the Bull; then the Men of the Vine and the Sickle; then the +Shepherd-folk; and lastly, the Men of the Face led by Stone-face +and Hall-face. With these went another two score of the +dwellers in Shadowy Vale, and the rest were scattered up and down +the bands of the Host to guide them into the best paths and to +make the way easier to them. Face-of-god was sundered from +his kindred, and went along with Folk-might in the forefront of +the Host, while his father the Alderman went as a simple +man-at-arms with his House in the rearward. The Sun-beam +followed her brother and Face-of-god amidst the Warriors of the +Wolf, and with her were Bow-may clad in the Alderman’s +gift, and Wood-father and his children. Bow-may had caused +her to doff her hauberk for that day, whereon they looked to fall +in with no foeman. As for the Bride, she went with her +kindred in all her war-gear; and the morning sun shone in the +gems of her apparel, and her jewelled feet fell like flowers upon +the deep grass of the upper Vale, and shone strange and bright +amongst the black stones of the pass. She bore a quiver at +her back and a shining yew bow in her hand, and went amongst the +bowmen, for she was a very deft archer.</p> +<p>So fared they into the pass, leaving peace behind them, with +all their banners displayed, and the banner of the Red-mouthed +Wolf went with the Wolf and the Sun-burst in the forefront of +their battle next after the two captains.</p> +<p>As for their road, the grassy space between the rock-wall and +the water was wide and smooth at first, and the cliffs rose up +like bundles of spear-shafts high and clear from the green grass +<a name="page313"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 313</span>with no +confused litter of fallen stones; so that the men strode on +briskly, their hearts high-raised and full of hope. And as +they went, the sweetness of song stirred in their souls, and at +last Bow-may fell to singing in a loud clear voice, and her +cousin Wood-wise answered her, and all the warriors of the Wolf +who were in their band fell into the song at the ending, and the +sound of their melody went down the water and reached the ears of +those that were entering the pass, and of those who were abiding +till the way should be clear of them: and this is some of what +they sang:</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Bow-may singeth</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Hear ye never a voice come crying<br /> + Out from the waste where the winds fare wide?<br /> +‘Sons of the Wolf, the days are dying,<br /> + And where in the clefts of the rocks do ye hide?</p> +<p class="poetry">‘Into your hands hath the Sword been +given,<br /> + Hard are the palms with the kiss of the hilt;<br /> +Through the trackless waste hath the road been riven<br /> + For the blade to seek to the heart of the guilt.</p> +<p class="poetry">‘And yet ye bide and yet ye tarry;<br /> + Dear deem ye the sleep ’twixt hearth and +board,<br /> +And sweet the maiden mouths ye marry,<br /> + And bright the blade of the bloodless +sword.’</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Wood-wise singeth</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Yea, here we dwell in the arms of our Mother<br +/> + The Shadowy Queen, and the hope of the Waste;<br /> +Here first we came, when never another<br /> + Adown the rocky stair made haste.<br /> +<br /> +Far is the foe, and no sword beholdeth<br /> + What deed we work and whither we wend;<br /> +<a name="page314"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 314</span>Dear are +the days, and the Year enfoldeth<br /> + The love of our life from end to end.<br /> +<br /> +Voice of our Fathers, why will ye move us,<br /> + And call up the sun our swords to behold?<br /> +Why will ye cry on the foeman to prove us?<br /> + Why will ye stir up the heart of the bold?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Bow-may singeth</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Purblind am I, the voice of the chiding;<br /> + Then tell me what is the thing ye bear?<br /> +What is the gift that your hands are hiding,<br /> + The gold-adorned, the dread and dear?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>Wood-wise singeth</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Dark in the sheath lies the Anvil’s +Brother,<br /> + Hid is the hammered Death of Men.<br /> +Would ye look on the gift of the green-clad Mother?<br /> + How then shall ye ask for a gift again?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>The Warriors sing</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Show we the Sunlight the Gift of the Mother,<br +/> + As foot follows foot to the foeman’s den!<br +/> +Gleam Sun, breathe Wind, on the Anvil’s Brother,<br /> + For bare is the hammered Death of Men.</p> +<p>Therewith they shook their naked swords in the air, and fared +on eagerly, and as swiftly as the pass would have them +fare. But so it was, that when the rearward of the Host was +entering the first of the pass, and was going on the wide smooth +sward, the vanward was gotten to where there was but a narrow +space clear betwixt water and cliff; for otherwhere was a litter +of great rocks and small, hard to be threaded even by those who +knew the passes well; so that men had to tread along the very +verge of the Shivering Flood, and wary must they be, for the +water ran swift <a name="page315"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +315</span>and deep betwixt banks of sheer rock half a fathom +below their very foot-soles, which had but bare space to go on +the narrow a way. So it held on for a while, and then got +safer, and there was more space for going betwixt cliff and +flood; albeit it was toilsome enough, since for some way yet +there was a drift of stones to cumber their feet, some big and +some little, and some very big. After a while the way grew +better, though here and there, where the cliffs lowered, were +wide screes of loose stones that they must needs climb up and +down. Thereafter for a space was there an end of the stony +cumber, but the way betwixt the river and the cliffs narrowed +again, and the black crags grew higher, and at last so exceeding +high, and the way so narrow, that the sky overhead was to them as +though they were at the bottom of a well, and men deemed that +thence they could see the stars at noontide. For some time +withal had the way been mounting up and up, though the cliffs +grew higher over it; till at last they were but going on a narrow +shelf, the Shivering Flood swirling and rattling far below them +betwixt sheer rock-walls grown exceeding high; and above them the +cliffs going up towards the heavens as black as a moonless +starless night of winter. And as the flood thundered below, +so above them roared the ceaseless thunder of the wind of the +pass, that blew exceeding fierce down that strait place; so that +the skirts of their garments were wrapped about their knees by +it, and their feet were well-nigh stayed at whiles as they +breasted the push thereof.</p> +<p>But as they mounted higher and higher yet, the noise of the +waters swelled into a huge roar that drowned the bellowing of the +prisoned wind, and down the pass came drifting a fine rain that +fell not from the sky, for between the clouds of that drift could +folk see the heavens bright and blue above them. This rain +was but the spray of the great force up to whose steps they were +climbing.</p> +<p>Now the way got rougher as they mounted; but this toil was +caused by their gain; for the rock-wall, which thrust out a +buttress <a name="page316"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +316</span>there as if it would have gone to the very edge of the +gap where-through the flood ran, and so have cut the way off +utterly, was here somewhat broken down, and its stones scattered +down the steep bent, so that there was a passage, though a +toilsome one.</p> +<p>Thus then through the wind-borne drift of the great force, +through which men could see the white waters tossing down below, +amidst the clattering thunder of the Shivering Flood and the +rumble of the wind of the gap, that tore through their garments +and hair as if it would rend all to rags and bear it away, the +banners of the Wolf won their way to the crest of the midmost +height of the pass, and the long line of the Host came clambering +after them; and each band of warriors as it reached the top cast +an unheard shout from amidst the tangled fury of wind and +waters.</p> +<p>A little further on and all that turmoil was behind them; the +sun, now grown low, smote the wavering column of spray from the +force at their backs, till the rainbows lay bright across it; and +the sunshine lay wide over a little valley that sloped somewhat +steeply to the west right up from the edge of the river; and +beyond these western slopes could men see a low peak spreading +down on all sides to the plain, till it was like to a bossed +shield, and the name of it was Shield-broad. Dark grey was +the valley everywhere, save that by the side of the water was a +space of bright green-sward hedged about toward the mountain by a +wall of rocks tossed up into wild shapes of spires and jagged +points. The river itself was spread out wide and shallow, +and went rattling about great grey rocks scattered here and there +amidst it, till it gathered itself together to tumble headlong +over three slant steps into the mighty gap below.</p> +<p>From the height in the pass those grey slopes seemed easy to +traverse; but the warriors of the Wolf knew that it was far +otherwise, for they were but the molten rock-sea that in time +long past had flowed forth from Shield-broad and filled up the +whole valley endlong and overthwart, cooling as it flowed, and +the tumbled <a name="page317"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +317</span>hedge of rock round about the green plain by the river +was where the said rock-sea had been stayed by meeting with soft +ground, and had heaped itself up round about the +green-sward. And that great rock-flood as it cooled split +in divers fashions; and the rain and weather had been busy on it +for ages, so that it was worn into a maze of narrow paths, most +of which, after a little, brought the wayfarer to a dead stop, or +else led him back again to the place whence he had started; so +that only those who knew the passes throughly could thread that +maze without immeasurable labour.</p> +<p>Now when the men of the Host looked from the high place +whereon they stood toward the green plain by the river, they saw +on the top of that rock-wall a red pennon waving on a spear, and +beside it three or four weaponed men gleaming bright in the +evening sun; and they waved their swords to the Host, and made +lightning of the sunbeams, and the men of the Host waved swords +to them in turn. For these were the outguards of the Host; +and the place whereon they were was at whiles dwelt in by those +who would drive the spoil in Silver-dale, and midmost of the +green-sward was a booth builded of rough stones and turf, a +refuge for a score of men in rough weather.</p> +<p>So the men of the vanward gat them down the hill, and made the +best of their way toward the grassy plain through that rocky maze +which had once been as a lake of molten glass; and as short as +the way looked from above, it was two hours or ever they came out +of it on to the smooth turf, and it was moonlight and night ere +the House of the Face had gotten on to the green-sward.</p> +<p>There then the Host abode for that night, and after they had +eaten lay down on the green grass and slept as they might. +Bow-may would have brought the Sun-beam into the booth with some +others of the women, but she would not enter it, because she +deemed that otherwise the Bride would abide without; and the +Bride, when she came up, along with the House of the Steer, +beheld the Sun-beam, that Wood-father’s children had made a +lair for her without like a hare’s form; and forsooth many +a time had she lain <a name="page318"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 318</span>under the naked heaven in Shadowy +Vale and the waste about it, even as the Bride had in the meadows +of Burgdale. So when the Bride was bidden thereto, she went +meekly into the booth, and lay there with others of the +damsels-at-arms.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLII. THE HOST COMETH TO THE EDGES OF +SILVER-DALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">So</span> wore the night, and when the +dawn was come were the two captains afoot, and they went from +band to band to see that all was ready, and all men were astir +betimes, and by the time that the sun smote the eastern side of +Shield-broad ruddy, they had broken their fast and were dight for +departure. Then the horns blew up beside the banners, and +rejoiced the hearts of men. But by the command of the +captains this was the last time that they should sound till they +blew for onset in Silver-dale, because now would they be drawing +nigher and nigher to the foemen, and they wotted not but that +wandering bands of them might be hard on the lips of the pass, +and might hear the horns’ voice, and turn to see what was +toward.</p> +<p>Forth then went the banners of the Wolf, and the men of the +vanward fell to threading the rock-maze toward the north, and in +two hours’ time were clear of the Dale under +Shield-broad. All went in the same order as yesterday; but +on this day the Sun-beam would bear her hauberk, and had a sword +girt to her side, and her heart was high and her speech +merry.</p> +<p>When they left the Dale under Shield-broad the way was easy +and wide for a good way, the river flowing betwixt low banks, and +the pass being more like a string of little valleys than a mere +gap, as it had been on the other side of the Dale. But when +one third of the day was past, the way began to narrow on them +again, and to rise up little by little; and at last the +rock-walls drew close to the river, and when men looked toward +the north they <a name="page319"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +319</span>saw no way, and nought but a wall. For the gap of +the Shivering Flood turned now to the east, and the Flood came +down from the east in many falls, as it were over a fearful +stair, through a gap where there was no path between the cliffs +and the water, nought but the boiling flood and its turmoil; so +that they who knew not the road wondered what they should do.</p> +<p>But Folk-might led the banners to where a great buttress of +the cliffs thrust itself into the way, coming well-nigh down to +the water, just at the corner where the river turned eastward, +and they got them about it as they might, and on the other side +thereof lo! another gap exceeding strait, scarce twenty foot +over, wall-sided, rugged beyond measure, going up steeply from +the great valley: a little water ran through it, mostly filling +up the floor of it from side to side; but it was but +shallow. This was now the battle-road of the Host, and the +vanward entered it at once, turning their backs upon the +Shivering Flood.</p> +<p>Full toilsome and dreary was that strait way; often great +stones hung above their heads, bridging the gap and hiding the +sky from them; nor was there any path for them save the stream +itself; so that whiles were they wading its waters to the knee or +higher, and whiles were they striding from stone to stone amidst +the rattle of the waters, and whiles were they stepping warily +along the ledges of rock above the deeper pools, and in all wise +labouring in overcoming the rugged road amidst the twilight of +the gap.</p> +<p>Thus they toiled till the afternoon was well worn, and so at +last they came to where the rock-wall was somewhat broken down on +the north side, and great rocks had fallen across the gap, and +dammed up the waters, which fell scantily over the dam from stone +to stone into a pool at the bottom of it. Up this breach, +then, below the force they scrambled and struggled, for rough +indeed was the road for them; and so came they up out of the gap +on to the open hill-side, a great shoulder of the heath sloping +down from the north, and littered over with big stones, borne +thither <a name="page320"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +320</span>belike by some ice-river of the earlier days; and one +great rock was in special as great as the hall of a wealthy +goodman, and shapen like to a hall with hipped gables, which same +the men of the Wolf called House-stone.</p> +<p>There then the noise and clatter of the vanward rose up on the +face of the heath, and men were exceeding joyous that they had +come so far without mishap. Therewith came weaponed men out +from under House-stone, and they came toward the men of the +vanward, and they were a half-score of the forerunners of the +Wolf; therefore Folk-might and Face-of-god fell at once into +speech with them, and had their tidings; and when they had heard +them, they saw nought to hinder the host from going on their road +to Silver-dale forthright; and there were still three hours of +daylight before them. So the vanward of the host tarried +not, and the captains left word with the men from under +House-stone that the rest of the Host should fare on after them +speedily, and that they should give this word to each company, as +men came up from out the gap. Then they fared speedily up +the hillside, and in an hour’s wearing had come to the +crest thereof, and to where the ground fell steadily toward the +north, and hereabout the scattered stones ceased, and on the +other side of the crest the heath began to be soft and boggy, and +at last so soft, that if they had not been wisely led, they had +been bemired oftentimes. At last they came to where the +flows that trickled through the mires drew together into a +stream, so that men could see it running; and thereon some of the +Woodlanders cried out joyously that the waters were running +north; and then all knew that they were drawing nigh to +Silver-dale.</p> +<p>No man they met on the road, nor did they of Shadowy Vale look +to meet any; because the Dusky Men were not great hunters for the +more part, except it were of men, and especially of women; and, +moreover, these hill-slopes of the mountain-necks led no-whither +and were utterly waste and dreary, and there was nought to be +seen there but snipes and bitterns and whimbrel and plover, <a +name="page321"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 321</span>and here +and there a hill-fox, or the great erne hanging over the heath on +his way to the mountain.</p> +<p>When sunset came, they were getting clear of the miry ground, +and the stream which they had come across amidst of the mires had +got clearer and greater, and rattled down between wide stony +sides over the heath; and here and there it deepened as it cleft +its way through little knolls that rose out of the face of the +mountain-neck. As the Host climbed one of these and was +come to its topmost (it was low enough not to turn the stream), +Face-of-god looked and beheld dark-blue mountains rising up far +off before him, and higher than these, but away to the east, the +snowy peaks of the World-mountains. Then he called to mind +what he had seen from the Burg of the Runaways, and he took +Folk-might by the arm, and pointed toward those far-off +mountains.</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Folk-might, ‘so it is, +War-leader. Silver-dale lieth between us and yonder blue +ridges, and it is far nigher to us than to them.’</p> +<p>But the Sun-beam came close to those twain, and took +Face-of-god by the hand and said: ‘O Gold-mane, dost thou +see?’ and he turned about and beheld her, and saw how her +cheeks flamed and her eyes glittered, and he said in a low voice: +‘To-morrow for mirth or silence, for life or +death.’</p> +<p>But the whole vanward as they came up stayed to behold the +sight of the mountains on the other side of Silver-dale, and the +banners of the Folk hung over their heads, moving but little in +the soft air of the evening: so went they on their ways.</p> +<p>The sun sank, and dusk came on them as they followed down the +stream, and night came, and was clear and starlit, though the +moon was not yet risen. Now was the ground firm and the +grass sweet and flowery, and wind-worn bushes were scattered +round about them, as they began to go down into the ghyll that +cleft the wall of Silver-dale, and the night-wind blew in their +faces from the very Dale and place of the Battle to be. The +path down was steep at first, but the ghyll was wide, and the <a +name="page322"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 322</span>sides of it +no longer straight walls, as in the gaps of their earlier +journey, but broken, sloping back, and (as they might see on the +morrow) partly of big stones and shaly grit, partly grown over +with bushes and rough grass, with here and there a little stream +trickling down their sides. As they went, the ghyll widened +out, till at last they were in a valley going down to the plain, +in places steep, in places flat and smooth, the stream ever +rattling down the midst of it, and they on the west side +thereof. The vale was well grassed, and oak-trees and ash +and holly and hazel grew here and there about it; and at last the +Host had before it a wood which filled the vale from side to +side, not much tangled with undergrowth, and quite clear of it +nigh to the stream-side. Thereinto the vanward entered, but +went no long way ere the leaders called a halt and bade pitch the +banners, for that there should they abide the daylight. +Thus it had been determined at the Council of the Hall of the +Wolf; for Folk-might had said: ‘With an Host as great as +ours, and mostly of men come into a land of which they know +nought at all, an onslaught by night is perilous: yea, and our +foes should be over-much scattered, and we should have to wander +about seeking them. Let us rather abide in the wood of +Wood-dale till the morning, and then display our banners on the +hill-side above Silver-dale, so that they may gather together to +fall upon us: in no case shall they keep us out of the +Dale.’</p> +<p>There then they stayed, and as each company came up to the +wood, they were marshalled into their due places, so that they +might set the battle in array on the edge of Silver-dale.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLIII. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON SILVER-DALE: THE +BOWMEN’S BATTLE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">There</span> then they rested, as folk +wearied with the toilsome journey, when they had set sure watches +round about their campment; and they ate quietly what meat they +had <a name="page323"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 323</span>with +them, and so gat them to sleep in the wood on the eve of +battle.</p> +<p>But not all slept; for the two captains went about amongst the +companies, Folk-might to the east, Face-of-god to the west, to +look to the watches, and to see that all was ordered duly. +Also the Sun-beam slept not, but she lay beside Bow-may at the +foot of an oak-tree; she watched Face-of-god as he went away +amidst the men of the Host, and watched and waked abiding his +returning footsteps.</p> +<p>The night was well worn by then he came back to his place in +the vanward, and on his way back he passed through the folk of +the Steer laid along on the grass, all save those of the watch, +and the light of the moon high aloft was mingled with the light +of the earliest dawn; and as it happed he looked down, and lo! +close to his feet the face of the Bride as she lay beside her +grand-sire, her head pillowed on a bundle of bracken. She +was sleeping soundly like a child who has been playing all day, +and whose sleep has come to him unsought and happily. Her +hands were laid together by her side; her cheek was as fair and +clear as it was wont to be at her best; her face looked calm and +happy, and a lock of her dark-red hair strayed from her uncovered +head over her breast and lay across her wrists, so peacefully she +slept.</p> +<p>Face-of-god turned his eyes from her at once, and went by +swiftly, and came to his own company. The Sun-beam saw him +coming, and rose straightway to her feet from beside Bow-may, who +lay fast asleep, and she held out her hands to him; and he took +them and kissed them, and he cast his arms about her and kissed +her mouth and her face, and she his in likewise; and she +said:</p> +<p>‘O Gold-mane, if this were but the morrow of +to-morrow! Yet shall all be well; shall it not?’</p> +<p>Her voice was low, but it waked Bow-may, who sat up at once +broad awake, after the manner of a hunter of the waste ever ready +for the next thing to betide, and moreover the Sun-beam had been +in her thoughts these two days, and she feared for her, <a +name="page324"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 324</span>lest she +should be slain or maimed. Now she smiled on the Sun-beam +and said:</p> +<p>‘What is it? Does thy mind forebode evil? +That needeth not. I tell thee it is not so ill for us of +the sword to be in Silver-dale. Thrice have I been there +since the Overthrow, and never more than a half-score in company, +and yet am I whole to-day.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, sister,’ said Face-of-god, ‘but in +past times ye did your deed and then fled away; but now we come +to abide here, and this night is the last of lurking.’</p> +<p>‘Ah,’ she said, ‘a little way from this I +saw such things that we had good will to abide here longer, few +as we were, but that we feared to be taken alive.’</p> +<p>‘What things were these?’ said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said, ‘I will not tell thee now; +but mayhap in the lighted winter feast-hall, when the kindred are +so nigh us and about us that they seem to us as if they were all +the world, I may tell it thee; or mayhap I never +shall.’</p> +<p>Said the Sun-beam, smiling: ‘Thou wilt ever be talking, +Bow-may. Now let the War-leader depart, for he will have +much to do.’</p> +<p>And she was well at ease that she had seen Face-of-god again; +but he said:</p> +<p>‘Nay, not so much; all is well-nigh done; in an hour it +will be broad day, and two hours thereafter shall the Banner be +displayed on the edge of Silver-dale.’</p> +<p>The cheek of the Sun-beam flushed, and paled again, as she +said: ‘Yea, we shall stand even as our Fathers stood on the +day when, coming from off the waste, they beheld it, and knew it +would be theirs. Ah me! how have I longed for this +morn. But now—Tell me, Gold-mane, dost thou deem that +I am afraid? And I whom thou hast deemed to be a +God.’</p> +<p>Quoth Bow-may: ‘Thou shalt deem her twice a God ere +noon-tide, brother Gold-mane. But come now! the hour of +deadly battle is at hand, and we may not laugh that away; and +therefore <a name="page325"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +325</span>I bid thee remember, Gold-mane, how thou didst promise +to kiss me once more on the verge of deadly battle.’</p> +<p>Therewith she stood up before him, and he tarried not, but +kind and smiling took her face between his two hands and kissed +her lips, and she cast her arms about him and kissed him, and +then sank down on the grass again, and turned from him, and laid +her face amongst the grass and the bracken, and they could see +that she was weeping, and her body was shaken with sobs. +But the Sun-beam knelt down to her, and caressed her with her +hand, and spake kind words to her softly, while Face-of-god went +his ways to meet Folk-might.</p> +<p>Now was the dawn fading into full daylight; and between dawn +and sunrise were all men stirring; for the watch had waked the +hundred-leaders, and they the leaders of scores and half-scores, +and they the whole folk; and they sat quietly in the wood and +made no noise.</p> +<p>In the night the watch of the Sickle had fallen in with a +thrall who had stolen up from the Dale to set gins for hares, and +now in the early morning they brought him to the +War-leader. He was even such a man as those with whom +Face-of-god had fallen in before, neither better nor worse than +most of them: he was sore afraid at first, but by then he was +come to the captains he understood that he had happened upon +friends; but he was dull of comprehension and slow of +speech. Albeit Folk-might gathered from him that the Dusky +Men had some inkling of the onslaught; for he said that they had +been gathering together in the marketplace of Silver-stead, and +would do so again soon. Moreover, the captains deemed from +his speech that those new tribes had come to hand sooner than was +looked for, and were even now in the Dale. Folk-might +smiled as one who is not best pleased when he heard these +tidings; but Face-of-god was glad to hear thereof; for what he +loathed most was that the war should drag out in hunting of +scattered bands of the foe. Herewith came Dallach to them +as they talked (for Face-of-god had sent for him), <a +name="page326"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 326</span>and he fell +to questioning the man further; by whose answers it seemed that +many men also had come into the Dale from Rose-dale, so that they +of the kindreds were like to have their hands full. Lastly +Dallach drew from the thrall that it was on that very morning +that the great Folk-mote of the Dusky Men should be holden in the +market-place of the Stead, which was right great, and about it +were the biggest of the houses wherein the men of the kindred had +once dwelt.</p> +<p>So when they had made an end of questioning the thrall, and +had given him meat and drink, they asked him if he would take +weapons in his hand and lead them on the ways into the Dale, +bidding him look about the wood and note how great and mighty an +host they were. And the carle yeasaid this, after staring +about him a while, and they gave him spear and shield, and he +went with the vanward as a way-leader.</p> +<p>Again presently came a watch of the Shepherds, and they had +found a man and a woman dead and stark naked hanging to the +boughs of a great oak-tree deep in the wood. This men knew +for some vengeance of the Dusky Men, for it was clear to see that +these poor people had been sorely tormented before they were +slain. Also the same watch had stumbled on the dead body of +an old woman, clad in rags, lying amongst the rank grass about a +little flow; she was exceeding lean and hunger-starved, and in +her hand was a frog which she had half eaten. And Dallach, +when he heard of this, said that it was the wont of the Dusky Men +to slay their thralls when they were past work, or to drive them +into the wilderness to die.</p> +<p>Lastly came a watch from the men of the Face, having with them +two more thralls, lusty young men; these they had come upon in +company of their master, who had brought them up into the wood to +shoot him a buck, and therefore they bare bows and arrows. +The watch had slain the master straightway while the thralls +stood looking on. They were much afraid of the weaponed +men, but answered to the questioning much readier than the first +<a name="page327"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 327</span>man; for +they were household thralls, and better fed and clad than he, who +was but a toiler in the fields. They yeasaid all his tale, +and said moreover that the Folk-mote of the Dusky Men should be +holden in the market-place that forenoon, and that most of the +warriors should be there, both the new-comers and the Rose-dale +lords, and that without doubt they should be under arms.</p> +<p>To these men also they gave a good sword and a helm each, and +bade them be brisk with their bows, and they said yea to marching +with the Host; and indeed they feared nothing so much as being +left behind; for if they fell into the hands of the Dusky Men, +and their master missing, they should first be questioned with +torments, and then slain in the evillest manner.</p> +<p>Now whereas things had thus betid, and that they knew thus +much of their foemen, Face-of-god called all the chieftains +together, and they sat on the green grass and held counsel +amongst them, and to one and all it seemed good that they should +suffer the Dusky Men to gather together before they meddled with +them, and then fall upon them in such order and such time as +should seem good to the captains watching how things went; and +this would be easy, whereas they were all lying in the wood in +the same order as they would stand in battle-array if they were +all drawn up together on the brow of the hill. Albeit +Face-of-god deemed it good, after he had heard all that they who +had been in the Stead could tell him thereof, that the +Shepherd-Folk, who were more than three long hundreds, and they +of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull, four hundreds in all, +should take their places eastward of the Woodlanders who had led +the vanward.</p> +<p>Straightway the word was borne to these men, and the shift was +made: so that presently the Woodlanders were amidmost of the +Host, and had with them on their right hands the Men of the +Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull, and beyond them the +Shepherd-Folk. But on their left hand lay the Men of the +Vine, then they of the Sickle, and lastly the Men of the Face, +and these three kindreds were over five hundreds of warriors: as +for the Men <a name="page328"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +328</span>of the Wolf, they abode at first with those companies +which they had led through the wastes, though this was changed +afterwards.</p> +<p>All this being done, Face-of-god gave out that all men should +break their fast in peace and leisure; and while men were at +their meat, Folk-might spake to Face-of-god and said: +‘Come, brother, for I would show thee a goodly thing; and +thou, Dallach, come with us.’</p> +<p>Then he brought them by paths in the wood till Face-of-god saw +the sky shine white between the tree-boles, and in a little while +they were come well-nigh out of the thicket, and then they went +warily; for before them was nought but the slopes of Wood-dale, +going down steeply into Silver-dale, with nought to hinder the +sight of it, save here and there bushes or scattered trees; and +so fair and lovely it was that Face-of-god could scarce forbear +to cry out. He saw that it was only at the upper or eastern +end, where the mountains of the Waste went round about it, that +the Dale was narrow; it soon widened out toward the west, and for +the most part was encompassed by no such straight-sided a wall as +was Burgdale, but by sloping hills and bents, mostly indeed +somewhat higher and steeper than the pass wherein they were, but +such as men could well climb if they had a mind to, and there +were any end to their journey. The Dale went due west a +good way, and then winded about to the southwest, and so was +hidden from them thereaway by the bents that lay on their left +hand. As it was wider, so it was not so plain a ground as +was Burgdale, but rose in knolls and little hills here and +there. A river greater than the Weltering Water wound about +amongst the said mounds; and along the side of it out in the open +dale were many goodly houses and homesteads of stone. The +knolls were mostly covered over with vines, and there were goodly +and great trees in groves and clumps, chiefly oak and sweet +chestnut and linden; many were the orchards, now in blossom, +about the homesteads; the pastures of the neat and horses spread +out bright green up from the water-side, and deeper <a +name="page329"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 329</span>green +showed the acres of the wheat on the lower slopes of the knolls, +and in wide fields away from the river.</p> +<p>Just below the pitch of the hill whereon they were, lay +Silver-stead, the town of the Dale. Hitherto it had been an +unfenced place; but Folk-might pointed to where on the western +side a new white wall was rising, and on which, young as the day +yet was, men were busy laying the stones and spreading the +mortar. Fair seemed that town to Face-of-god: the houses +were all builded of stone, and some of the biggest were roofed +with lead, which also as well as silver was dug out of the +mountains at the eastern end of the Dale. The market-place +was clear to see from where they stood, though there were houses +on all sides of it, so wide it was. From their +standing-place it was but three furlongs to this heart of +Silver-dale; and Face-of-god could see brightly-clad men moving +about in it already. High above their heads he beheld two +great clots of scarlet and yellow raised on poles and pitched in +front of a great stone-built hall roofed with lead, which stood +amidmost of the west end of the Place, and betwixt those poles he +saw on a mound with long slopes at its sides somewhat of white +stone, and amidmost of the whole Place a great stack of +faggot-wood built up four-square. Those red and yellow +things on the poles he deemed would be the banners of the +murder-carles; and Folk-might told him that even so it was, and +that they were but big bunches of strips of woollen cloth, much +like to great ragmops, save that the rags were larger and longer: +no other token of war, said Folk-might, did those folk carry, +save a crookbladed sword, smeared with man’s blood, and +bigger than any man might wield in battle.</p> +<p>‘Art thou far-seeing, War-leader?’ quoth he. +‘What canst thou see in the market-place?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Far-seeing am I above most men, and I +see in the Place a man in scarlet standing by the banner, which +is pitched in front of the great stone hall, near to the mound +with the white stone on it; and meseemeth he beareth a great horn +in his hand.’</p> +<p><a name="page330"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 330</span>Said +Folk-might: ‘Yea, and that stone hall was our Mote-house +when we were lords of the Dale, and thence it was that they who +are now thralls of the Dusky Men sent to them their message and +token of yielding. And as for that white stone, it is the +altar of their god; for they have but one, and he is that same +crook-bladed sword. And now that I look, I see a great +stack of wood amidmost the market-place, and well I know what +that betokeneth.’</p> +<p>‘Lo you!’ said Face-of-god, ‘the man with +the horn is gone up on to the altar-mound, and meseemeth he is +setting the little end of the horn to his mouth.’</p> +<p>‘Hearken then!’ said Folk-might. And in a +moment came the hoarse tuneless sound of the horn down the wind +towards them; and Folk-might said:</p> +<p>‘I deem I should know what that blast meaneth; and now +is it time that the Host drew nigher to set them in array behind +these very trees. But if ye will, War-leader, we will abide +here and watch the ways of the foemen, and send Dallach with the +word to the Host; also I would have thee suffer me to bid hither +at once two score and ten of the best of the bowmen of our folk +and the Woodlanders, and Wood-wise to lead them, for he knoweth +well the land hereabout, and what is good to do.’</p> +<p>‘It is good,’ said Face-of-god. ‘Be +speedy, Dallach!’</p> +<p>So Dallach departed, running lightly, and the two chiefs abode +there; and the horn in Silver-stead blew at whiles for a little, +and then stayed; and Folk-might said:</p> +<p>‘Lo you! they come flockmeal to the Mote-stead; the +Place will be filled ere long.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Will they make offerings to their god +at the hallowing in of their Folk-mote? Where then are the +slaughter-beasts?’</p> +<p>‘They shall not long be lacking,’ said +Folk-might. ‘See you it is getting thronged about the +altar and the Mote-house.’</p> +<p>Now there were four ways into the Market-place of Silver-stead +<a name="page331"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 331</span>turned +toward the four aírts, and the midmost of the +kindreds’ battle looked right down the southern one, which +went up to the wood, but stopped there in a mere woodland path, +and the more part of the town lay north and west of this way, +albeit there was a way from the east also. But the +hill-side just below the two captains lay two furlongs west of +this southern way; and it went down softly till it was gotten +quite near to the backs of the houses on the south side of the +Market-place, and was sprinkled scantly with bushes and trees as +aforesaid; but at last were there more bushes, which well-nigh +made a hedge across it, reaching from the side of the southern +way; and a foot or two beyond these bushes the ground fell by a +steep and broken bent down to the level of the Market-place, and +betwixt that fringe of bushes and the backs of the houses on the +south side of the Place was less it maybe than a full furlong: +but the southern road aforesaid went down softly into the +Market-place, since it had been fashioned so by men.</p> +<p>Now the two chiefs heard a loud blast of horns come up from +the town, and lo! a great crowd of men wending their ways down +the road from the north, and they came into the market-place with +spears and other weapons tossing in the air, and amidst of these +men, who seemed to be all of the warriors, they saw as they drew +nigher some two score and ten of men clad in long raiment of +yellow and scarlet, with tall spiring hats of strange fashion on +their heads, and in their hands long staves with great blades +like scythes done on to them; and again, in the midst of these +yellow and red glaive-bearers, in the very heart of the throng +were some score of naked folk, they deemed both men and women, +but were not sure, so close was the throng; nor could they see if +they were utterly naked.</p> +<p>‘Lo you, brother!’ quoth Folk-might, ‘said I +not that the beasts for the hewing should not tarry? Yonder +naked folk are even they: and ye may well deem that they are the +thralls of the Dusky Men; and meseemeth by the whiteness of their +skins they be of <a name="page332"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +332</span>the best of them. For these felons, it is like, +look to winning great plenty of thralls in Burgdale, and so set +the less store on them they have, and may expend them +freely.’</p> +<p>As he spake they heard the sound of men marching in the wood +behind them, and they turned about and saw that there was come +Wood-wise, and with him upwards of two score and ten of the +bowmen of the Woodlanders and the Wolf—huntsmen, cragsmen, +and scourers of the Waste; men who could shoot the chaffinch on +the twig a hundred yards aloof; who could make a hiding-place of +the bennets of the wayside grass, or the stem of the slender +birch-tree. With these must needs be Bow-may, who was the +closest shooter of all the kindreds.</p> +<p>So then Wood-wise told the War-leader that Dallach had given +the word to the Host, and that all men were astir and would be +there presently in their ordered companies; and Face-of-god spake +to Folk-might, and said: ‘Chief of the Wolf, wilt thou not +give command to these bowmen, and set them to the work; for thou +wottest thereof.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, that will I,’ said Folk-might, and turned to +Wood-wise, and said: ‘Wood-wise, get ye down the slope, and +loose on these felons, who have a murder on hand, if so be ye +have a chance to do it wisely. But in any case come ye all +back; for all shall be needed yet to-day. So flee if they +pursue, for ye shall have us to flee to. Now be ye wary, +nor let the curse of the Wolf and the Face lie on your +slothfulness.’</p> +<p>Wood-wise did but nod his head and lift his hand to his +fellows, who set off after him down the slope without more +tarrying. They went very warily, as if they were hunting a +quarry which would flee from them; and they crept amongst the +grass and stones from bush to bush like serpents, and so, unseen +by the Dusky Men, who indeed were busied over their own matters, +they came to the fringe of bushes above the broken ground +aforesaid, and there they took their stand, and before them below +those steep banks was but the space at the back of the +houses. As to the houses, as aforesaid, <a +name="page333"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 333</span>they were +not so high as elsewhere about the Market-place; and at the end +of a long low hall there was a gap between its gable and the next +house, whereby they had a clear sight of the Place about the +god’s altar and the banners, and the great hall of +Silver-dale, with the double stair that went up to the door +thereof.</p> +<p>There then they made them ready, and Wood-wise set men to +watch that none should come sidelong on them unawares; their bows +were bent and their quivers open, and they were eager for the +fray.</p> +<p>Thus they beheld the Market-place from their cover, and saw +that those folk who were to be hewn to the god were now standing +facing the altar in a half-ring, and behind them in another +half-ring the glaive-bearers who had brought them thither stood +glaive in hand ready to hew them down when the token should be +given; and these were indeed the priests of the god.</p> +<p>There was clear space round about these poor +slaughter-thralls, so that the bowmen could see them well, and +they told up a score of them, half men, half women, and they were +all stark naked save for wreaths of flowers about their middles +and their necks; and they had shackles of lead about their +wrists; which same lead should be taken out of the fire wherein +they should be burned, and from the shape it should take after it +had passed through the fire would the priests foretell the luck +of the deed to be done.</p> +<p>It was clear to be seen from thence that Folk-might was right +when he said that these slaughter-thralls were of the best of the +house-thralls and bed-mates of the Dusky Men, and that these +felons were open-handed to their god, and would not cheat him, or +withhold from him the best and most delicate of all they had.</p> +<p>Now spake Wood-wise to those about him: ‘It is sure that +Folk-might would have us give these poor thralls a chance, and +that we must loose upon the felons who would hew them down; and +if we are to come back again, we can go no nigher. What +sayest thou, Bow-may? Is it nigh enough? Can aught be +done?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, yea,’ she said, ‘nigh enough it is; +but let Gold-ring <a name="page334"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +334</span>be with me and half a score of the very best, whether +they be of our folk or the Woodlanders, men who cannot miss such +a mark; and when we have loosed, then let all loose, and stay not +till our shot be spent. Haste, now haste! time presseth; +for if the Host showeth on the brow of the hill, these felons +will hew down their slaughter-beasts before they turn on their +foemen. Let the grey-goose wing speed trouble and confusion +amongst them.’</p> +<p>But ere she had done her words Wood-wise had got to speaking +quietly with the Woodlanders; and Bears-bane, who was amidst +them, chose out eight of the best of his folk, men who doubted +nothing of hitting whatever they could see in the Market-place; +and they took their stand for shooting, and with them besides +Bow-may were two women and four men of the Wolf, and Gold-ring +withal, a carle of fifty winters, long, lean, and wiry, a fell +shooter if ever anyone were.</p> +<p>So all these notched their shafts and laid them on the yew, +and each had between the two last fingers of the shaft-hand +another shaft ready, and a half score more stuck into the ground +before him.</p> +<p>Now giveth Wood-wise the word to these sixteen as to which of +the felons with the glaives they shall each one aim at; and he +saith withal in a soft voice: ‘Help cometh from the Hill; +soon shall battle be joined in Silver-dale.’</p> +<p>Thus stand they watching Bow-may and Gold-ring till they draw +home the notches; and amidst their waiting the glaive-bearing +felons fall a-singing a harsh and ugly hymn to their +crooked-sword god, and the Market-stead is thronged endlong and +overthwart with the tribes of the Dusky Men.</p> +<p>There now standeth Bow-may far-sighted and keen-eyed, her face +as pale as a linen sleeve, an awful smile on her glittering eyes +and close-set lips, and she feeling the twisted string of the red +yew and the polished sides of the notch, while the yelling song +of the Dusky priests quavers now and ends with a wild shrill cry, +and she noteth the midmost of the priests beginning to handle <a +name="page335"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 335</span>his weapon: +then swift and steady she draweth home the notches, while the yew +bow standeth still as the oak-bole ere the summer storm ariseth, +and the twang of the sixteen strings maketh but one fell sound as +the feathered bane of men goeth on its way.</p> +<p>There was silence for a moment of time in the Market of +Silver-stead, as if the bolt of the Gods had fallen there; and +then arose a huge wordless yell from those about the altar, and +one of the priests who was left hove up his glaive two-handed to +smite the naked slaughter-thralls; but or ever the stroke fell, +Bow-may’s second shaft was through his throat, and he +rolled over amidst his dead fellows; and the other fifteen had +loosed with her, and then even as they could Wood-wise and the +others of their company; and all they notched and loosed without +tarrying, and no shout, no word came from their lips, only the +twanging strings spake for them; for they deemed the minutes that +hurried by were worth much joy of their lives to be. And +few indeed were the passing minutes ere the dead men lay in heaps +about the Altar of the Crooked Sword, and the wounded men +wallowed amidst them.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLIV. OF THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE MEN OF THE STEER, +THE BRIDGE, AND THE BULL.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Wild</span> was the turmoil and confusion +in the Market-stead; for the more part of the men therein knew +not what had befallen about the altar, though some clomb up to +the top of that stack of faggots built for the burning of the +thralls, and when they saw what was toward fell to yelling and +cursing; and their fellows on the plain Place could not hear +their story for the clamour, and they also fell to howling as if +a wood full of wild dogs was there.</p> +<p>And still the shafts rained down on that throng from the Bent +of the Bowmen, for another two score men of the Woodlanders <a +name="page336"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 336</span>had crept +down the hill to them, and shafts failed them not. But the +Dusky Men about the altar, for all their terror, or even maybe +because of it, now began to turn upon the scarce-seen foemen, and +to press up wildly toward the hill-side, though as it were +without any order or aim. Every man of them had his +weapons, and those no mere gilded toys, but their very tools of +battle; and some, but no great number, had their bows with them +and a few shafts; and these began to shoot at whatsoever they +could see on the hill-side, but at first so wildly and hurriedly +that they did no harm.</p> +<p>It must be said of them that at first only those about the +altar fell on toward the hill; for those about the road that led +southward knew not what had betided nor whither to turn. So +that at this beginning of the battle, of all the thousands in the +great Place it was but a few hundreds that set on the Bent of the +Bowmen, and at these the bowmen of the kindreds shot so close and +so wholly together that they fell one over another in the narrow +ways between the houses whereby they must needs go to gather on +the plain ground betwixt the backs of the houses and the break of +the hill-side. But little by little the archers of the +Dusky Men gathered behind the corpses of the slain, and fell to +shooting at what they could see of the men of the kindreds, which +at that while was not much, for as bold as they were, they fought +like wary hunters of the Wood and the Waste.</p> +<p>But now at last throughout all that throng of Felons in the +Market-place the tale began to spread of foemen come into the +Dale and shooting from the Bents, and all they turned their faces +to the hill, and the whole set of the throng was thitherward; +though they fared but slowly, so evil was the order of them, each +man hindering his neighbour as he went. And not only did +the Dusky Men come flockmeal toward the Bent of the Bowmen, but +also they jostled along toward the road that led southward. +That beheld Wood-wise from the Bent, and he was minded to get him +and his aback, now that they had made so <a +name="page337"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 337</span>great a +slaughter of the foemen; and two or three of his fellows had been +hurt by arrows, and Bow-may, she would have been slain thrice +over but for the hammer-work of the Alderman. And no marvel +was that; for now she stood on a little mound not half covered by +a thin thorn-bush, and notched and loosed at whatever was most +notable, as though she were shooting at the mark on a summer +evening in Shadowy Vale. But as Wood-wise was at point to +give the word to depart, from behind them rang out the merry +sound of the Burgdale horns, and he turned to look at the +wood-side, and lo! thereunder was the hill bright and dark with +men-at-arms, and over them floated the Banners of the Wolf, and +the Banners of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull. Then +gave forth the bowmen of the kindreds their first shout, and they +made no stay in their shooting; but shot the eagerer, for they +deemed that help would come without their turning about to draw +it to them: and even so it was. For straightway down the +bent came striding Face-of-god betwixt the two Banners of the +Wolf, and beside him were Red-wolf the tall and War-grove, and +therewithal Wood-wont and Wood-wicked, and many other men of the +Wolf; for now that the men of the kindreds had been brought face +to face with the foe, and there was less need of them for +way-leaders, the more part of them were liefer to fight under +their own banner along with the Woodlanders; so that the company +of those who went under the Wolves was more than three long +hundreds and a half; and the bowmen on the edge of the bent +shouted again and merrily, when they felt that their brothers +were amongst them, and presently was the arrow-storm at its +fiercest, and the twanging of bow-strings and the whistle of the +shafts was as the wind among the clefts of the mountains; for all +the new-comers were bowmen of the best.</p> +<p>But the kindreds of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull, they +hung yet a while longer on the hills’ brow, their banners +floating over them and their horns blowing; and the Dusky <a +name="page338"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 338</span>Felons in +the Market-place beheld them, and fear and rage at once filled +their hearts, and a fierce and dreadful yell brake out from them, +and joyously did the Men of Burgdale answer them, and song arose +amongst them even such as this:</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>The Men of the Bridge +sing</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Why stand ye together, why bear ye the +shield,<br /> +Now the calf straineth tether at edge of the field?</p> +<p class="poetry">Now the lamb bleateth stronger and waters run +clear,<br /> +And the day groweth longer and glad is the year?</p> +<p class="poetry">Now the mead-flowers jostle so thick as they +stand,<br /> +And singeth the throstle all over the land?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>The Men of the Steer +sing</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">No cloud the day darkened, no thunder we +heard,<br /> +But the horns’ speech we hearkened as men unafeared.</p> +<p class="poetry">Yea, so merry it sounded, we turned from the +Dale,<br /> +Where all wealth abounded, to wot of its tale.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>The Men of the Bridge +sing</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">What white boles then bear ye, what wealth of +the woods?<br /> +What chafferers hear ye bid loud for your goods?</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>The Men of the Bull +sing</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">O the bright beams we carry are stems of the +steel;<br /> +Nor long shall we tarry across them to deal.</p> +<p class="poetry">Hark the men of the cheaping, how loudly they +cry<br /> +On the hook for the reaping of men doomed to die!</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>They all sing</i>:</p> +<p class="poetry">Heave spear up! fare forward, O Men of the +Dale!<br /> +For the Warrior, our war-ward, shall hearken the tale.</p> +<p><a name="page339"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +339</span>Therewith they ceased a moment, and then gave a great +and hearty shout all together, and all their horns blew, and they +moved on down the hill as one man, slowly and with no jostling, +the spear-men first, and then they of the axe and the sword; and +on their flanks the deft archers loosed on the stumbling jostling +throng of the Dusky Men, who for their part came on drifting and +surging up the road to the hill.</p> +<p>But when those big spearmen of the Dale had gone a little way +the horns’ voice died out, and their great-staved spears +rose up from their shoulders into the air, and stood so a moment, +and then slowly fell forward, as the oars of the longship fall +into the row-locks, and then over the shoulders of the foremost +men showed the steel of the five ranks behind them, and their own +spears cast long bars of shadow on the whiteness of the sunny +road. No sound came from them now save the rattle of their +armour and the tramp of their steady feet; but from the Dusky Men +rose up hideous confused yelling, and those that could free +themselves from the tangle of the throng rushed desperately +against the on-rolling hedge of steel, and the whole throng +shoved on behind them. Then met steel and men; here and +there an ash-stave broke; here and there a Dusky Felon rolled +himself unhurt under the ash-staves, and hewed the knees of the +Dalesmen, and a tall man came tottering down; but what men or +wood-wights could endure the push of spears of those mighty +husbandmen? The Dusky Ones shrunk back yelling, or turned +their backs and rushed at their own folk with such fierce agony +that they entered into the throng, till the terror of the spear +reached to the midmost of it and swayed them back on the +hindermost; for neither was there outgate for the felons on the +flanks of the spearmen, since there the feathered death beset +them, and the bowmen (and the Bride amongst the foremost) shot +wholly together, and no shaft flew idly. But the wise +leaders of the Dalesmen would not that they should thrust in too +far amongst the howling throng of the Dusky Men, lest they should +be hemmed in by them; for they were but a handful in regard to +them: so there they <a name="page340"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 340</span>stayed, barring the way to the Dusky +Men, and the bowmen still loosed from the flanks of them, or +aimed deftly from betwixt the ranks of the spearmen.</p> +<p>And now was there a space of ten strides or more betwixt the +Dalesmen and their foes, over which the spears hung terribly, nor +durst the Dusky Men adventure there; and thereon was nought but +men dead or sorely hurt. Then suddenly a horn rang thrice +shrilly over all the noise and clamour of the throng, and the +ranks of the spearmen opened, and forth into that space strode +two score of the swordsmen and axe-wielders of the Dale, their +weapons raised in their hands, and he who led them was Iron-hand +of the House of the Bull: tall he was, wide-shouldered, exceeding +strong, but beardless and fair-faced. He bore aloft a +two-edged sword, broad-bladed, exceeding heavy, so that few men +could wield it in battle, but not right long; it was an ancient +weapon, and his father before him had called it the +Barley-scythe. With him were some of the best of the +kindreds, as Wolf of Whitegarth, Long-hand of Oakholt, Hart of +Highcliff, and War-well the captain of the Bridge. These +made no tarrying on that space of the dead, but cried aloud their +cries: ‘For the Burg and the Steer! for the Dale and the +Bridge! for the Dale and the Bull!’ and so fell at once on +the Felons; who fled not, nor had room to flee; and also they +feared not the edge-weapons so sorely as they feared those huge +spears. So they turned fiercely on the swordsmen, and +chiefly on Iron-hand, as he entered in amongst them the first of +all, hewing to the right hand and the left, and many a man fell +before the Barley-scythe; for they were but little before +him. Yet as one fell another took his place, and hewed at +him with the steel axe and the crooked sword; and with many +strokes they clave his shield and brake his helm and rent his +byrny, while he heeded little save smiting with the +Barley-scythe, and the blood ran from his arm and his shoulder +and his thigh.</p> +<p>But War-well had entered in among the foe on his left hand, +and unshielded hove up a great broad-bladed axe, that clave the +<a name="page341"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 341</span>iron +helms of the Dusky Men, and rent their horn-scaled byrnies. +He was not very tall, but his shoulders were huge and his arms +long, and nought could abide his stroke. He cleared a ring +round Iron-hand, whose eyes were growing dim as the blood flowed +from him, and hewed three strokes before him; then turned and +drew the champion out of the throng, and gave him into the arms +of his fellows to stanch the blood that drained away the might of +his limbs; and then with a great wordless roar leaped back again +on the Dusky Men as the lion leapeth on the herd of swine; and +they shrank away before him; and all the swordsmen shouted, +‘For the Bridge, for the Bridge!’ and pressed on the +harder, smiting down all before them. On his left hand now +was Hart of Highcliff wielding a good sword hight Chip-driver, +wherewith he had slain and hurt a many, fighting wisely with +sword and shield, and driving the point home through the joints +of the armour. But even therewith, as he drave a great +stroke at a lord of the Dusky Ones, a cast-spear came flying and +smote him on the breast, so that he staggered, and the stroke +fell flatlings on the shield-boss of his foe, and Chip-driver +brake atwain nigh the hilts; but Hart closed with him, and smote +him on the face with the pommel, and tore his axe from his hand +and clave his skull therewith, and slew him with his own weapon, +and fought on valiantly beside War-well.</p> +<p>Now War-well had fought so fiercely that he had rent his own +hauberk with the might of his strokes, and as he raised his arm +to smite a huge stroke, a deft man of the Felons thrust the spike +of his war-axe up under his arm; and when War-well felt the smart +of the steel, he turned on that man, and, letting his axe fall +down to his wrist and hang there by its loop, he caught the +foeman up by the neck and the breech, and drave him against the +other Dusky Ones before him, so that their weapons pierced and +rent their own friend and fellow. Then he put forth the +might of his arms and the pith of his body, and hove up that +felon and cast him on to the heads of his fellow murder-carles, +so that he rent them and was <a name="page342"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 342</span>rent by them. Then War-well +fell on again with the axe, and all the champions of the Dale +shouted and fell on with him, and the foe shrank away; and the +Dalesmen cleared a space five fathoms’ length before them, +and the spearmen drew onward and stood on the space whereon the +first onslaught had been.</p> +<p>Then drew those hewers of the Dale together, and forth from +the company came the man that bare the Banner of the Bridget and +the champions gathered round him, and they ordered their ranks +and strode with the Banner before them three times to and fro +across the road athwart the front of the spearmen, and then with +a great shout drew back within the spear-hedge. Albeit five +of the champions of the Dale had been slain outright there, and +the more part of them hurt more or less.</p> +<p>But when all were well within the ranks, once again blew the +horn, and all the spears sank to the rest, and the kindreds drave +the spear-furrow, and a space was swept clear before them, and +the cries and yells of the Dusky Men were so fierce and wild that +the rough voices of the Dalesmen were drowned amidst them.</p> +<p>Forth then came every bowman of the kindred that was there and +loosed on the Dusky Men; and they forsooth had some bowmen +amongst them, but cooped up and jostled as they were they shot +but wildly; whereas each shaft of the Dale went home truly.</p> +<p>But amongst the bowmen forth came the Bride in her glittering +war-gear, and stepped lightly to the front of the spearmen. +Her own yew bow had been smitten by a shaft and broken in her +hand: so she had caught up a short horn bow and a quiver from one +of the slain of the Dusky Men; and now she knelt on one knee +under the shadow of the spears nigh to her grandsire Hall-ward, +and with a pale face and knitted brow notched and loosed, and +notched and loosed on the throng of foemen, as if she were some +daintily fashioned engine of war.</p> +<p>So fared the battle on the road that went from the south into +the Market-stead. Valiantly had the kindred fought there, +and <a name="page343"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 343</span>no +man of them had blenched, and much had they won; but the way was +perilous before them, for the foe was many and many.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLV. OF FACE-OF-GOD’S ONSLAUGHT.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> the banners of the Wolf flapped +and rippled over the heads of the Woodlanders and the Men of the +Wolf; and the men shot all they might, nor took heed now to cover +themselves against the shafts of the Dusky Men. As for +these, for all they were so many, their arrow-shot was no great +matter, for they were in very evil order, as has been said; and +moreover, their rage was so great to come to handy strokes with +these foemen, that some of them flung away their bows to brandish +the axe or the sword. Nevertheless were some among the +kindred hurt or slain by their arrows.</p> +<p>Now stood Face-of-god with the foremost; and from where he +stood he could see somewhat of the battle of the Dalesmen, and he +wotted that it was thriving; therefore he looked before him and +close around him, and noted what was toward there. The +space betwixt the houses and the break of the bent was crowded +with the fury of the Dusky Men tossing their weapons aloft, +crying to each other and at the kindred, and here and there +loosing a bow-string on them; but whatever was their rage they +might not come a many together past a line within ten fathom of +the bent’s end; for three hundred of the best of bowmen +were shooting at them so ceaselessly that no Dusky man was safe +of any bare place of his body, and they fell over one another in +that penfold of slaughter, and for all their madness did but +little.</p> +<p>Yet was the heart of the War-leader troubled; for he wotted +that it might not last for ever, and there seemed no end to the +throng of murder-carles; and the time would come when the +arrowshot would be spent, and they must needs come to handy +strokes, and that with so many.</p> +<p><a name="page344"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 344</span>Now a +voice spake to him as he gazed with knitted brows and careful +heart on that turmoil of battle:</p> +<p>‘What now hast thou done with the Sun-beam, and where is +her brother? Is the Chief of the Wolf skulking when our +work is so heavy? And thou meseemeth art overlate on the +field: the mowing of this meadow is no sluggard’s +work.’</p> +<p>He turned and beheld Bow-may, and gazed on her face for a +moment, and saw her eyes how they glittered, and how the pommels +of her cheeks were burning red and her lips dry and grey; but +before he answered he looked all round about to see what was to +note; and he touched Bow-may on the shoulder and pointed to down +below where a man of the Felons had just come out of the court of +one of the houses: a man taller than most, very gaily arrayed, +with gilded scales all over him, so that, with his dark face and +blue eyes, he looked like some strange dragon. Bow-may +spake not, but stamped her foot with anger. Yet if her +heart were hot, her hand was steady; for she notched a shaft, and +just as the Dusky Chief raised his axe and brandished it aloft, +she loosed, and the shaft flew and smote the felon in the armpit +and the default of the armour, and he fell to earth. But +even as she loosed, Face-of-god cried out in a loud voice:</p> +<p>‘O lads of battle! shoot close and all together. +Tarry not, tarry not! for we need a little time ere sword meets +sword, and the others of the kindreds are at work!’</p> +<p>But Bow-may turned round to him and said: ‘Wilt thou not +answer me? Where is thy kindness gone?’</p> +<p>Even as she was speaking she had notched and loosed another +shaft, speaking as folk do who turn from busy work at loom or +bench.</p> +<p>Then said Face-of-god: ‘Shoot on, sister Bow-may! +The Sun-beam is gone with her brother, and he is with the Men of +the Face.’</p> +<p>He broke off here, for a man fell beside him hurt in the neck, +and Face-of-god took his bow from his hands and shot a shaft, <a +name="page345"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 345</span>while one +of the women who had been hurt also tended the newly-wounded +man. Then Face-of-god went on speaking:</p> +<p>‘She was unwilling to go, but Folk-might and I +constrained her; for we knew that this is the most perilous place +of the battle—hah! see those three felons, Bow-may! they +are aiming hither.’</p> +<p>And again he loosed and Bow-may also, but a shaft rattled on +his helm withal and another smote a Woodlander beside him, and +pierced through the calf of his leg, as he turned and stooped to +take fresh arrows from a sheaf that lay there; but the carle took +it by the notch and the point, and brake it and drew it out, and +then stood up and went on shooting. And Face-of-god spake +again:</p> +<p>‘Folk-might skulketh not; nor the Men of the Vine, and +the Sickle, and the Face, nor the Shepherd-Folk: soon shall they +be making our work easy to us, if we can hold our own till +then. They are on the other roads that lead into the +square. Now suffer me, and shoot on!’</p> +<p>Therewith he looked round about him, and he saw on the left +hand that all was quiet; and before him was the confused throng +of the Dusky Men trampling their own dead and wounded, and not +able as yet to cross that death-line of the arrow so near to +them. But on his right hand he saw how they of the kindreds +held them firm on the way. Then for a moment of time he +considered and thought, till him-seemed he could see the whole +battle yet to be foughten; and his face flushed, and he said +sharply: ‘Bow-may, abide here and shoot, and show the +others where to shoot, while the arrows hold out; but we will go +further for a while, and ye shall follow when we have made the +rent great enough.’</p> +<p>She turned to him and said: ‘Why art thou not more +joyous? thou art like an host without music or +banners.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said he, ‘heed not me, but my +bidding!’</p> +<p>She said hastily: ‘I think I shall die here; since for +all we have shot we minish them nowise. Now kiss me this +once amidst the battle, and say farewell.’</p> +<p><a name="page346"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 346</span>He +said: ‘Nay, nay; it shall not go thus. Abide a little +while, and thou shalt see all this tangle open, as the sun +cleaveth the clouds on the autumn morning. Yet lo thou! +since thou wilt have it so.’</p> +<p>And he bent forward and kissed her face, and now the tears ran +over it, and she said smiling somewhat: ‘Now is this more +than I looked for, whatso may betide.’</p> +<p>But while she was yet speaking he cried in a great voice:</p> +<p>‘Ye who have spent your shot, or have nigh spent it, to +axe and sword, and follow me to clear the ground ’twixt the +bent and the halls. Let each help each, but throng not each +other. Shoot wisely, ye bowmen, and keep our backs clear of +the foe. On, on! for the Burg and the Face, for the Burg +and the Face!’</p> +<p>Therewith he leapt down the steep of the hill, bounding like +the hart, with Dale-warden naked in his hand; and they that +followed were two score and ten; and the arrows of their bowmen +rained over their heads on the Dusky Men, as they smote down the +first of the foemen, and the others shrieked and shrank from +them, or turned on them smiting wildly and desperately.</p> +<p>But Face-of-god swept round the great sword and plunged into +that sea of turmoil and noise and evil sights and savours, and +even therewith he heard clearly a voice that said: +‘Goldring, I am hurt; take my bow a while!’ and knew +it for Bow-may’s; but it came to his ears like the song of +a bird without meaning; for it was as if his life were changed at +once; and in a minute or two he had cut thrice with the edge and +thrust twice with the point, eager, but clear-eyed and deft; and +he saw as in a picture the foe before him, and the grey roofs of +Silver-stead, and through the gap in them the tops of the blue +ridges far aloof. And now had three fallen before him, and +they feared him, and turned on him, and smote so many together +that their strokes crossed each other, and one warded him from +the other; and he laughed aloud and shielded himself, and drave +the point of Dale-warden amidst the tangle of weapons through the +open <a name="page347"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +347</span>mouth of a captain of the Felons, and slashed a cheek +with a back-stroke, and swept round the edge to his right hand +and smote off a blue-eyed snub-nosed head; and therewith a +pole-axe smote him on the left side of his helm, so that he +tottered; but he swung himself round, and stood stark and +upright, and gave a short hack with the edge, keeping Dale-warden +well in hand, and a gold-clad felon, a champion of them, and +their tallest on the ground, fell aback, his throat gaping more +than the mouth of him.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god shouted and waved Dale-warden aloft to the +Banner of the Wolf that floated behind and above him, and he +cried out: ‘As I have promised so have I done!’ +And he looked about, and beheld how valiantly his fellows had +been doing; for before him now was a space of earth with no man +standing on his feet thereon, like the swathe of the mowers of +June; and beyond that was the crowd of the Dusky Men wavering +like the tall grass abiding the scythe.</p> +<p>But a minute, and they fell to casting at Face-of-god and his +fellows spears and knives and shields and whatsoever would fly; +and a spear smote him on the breast, but entered not; and a +bossed shield fell over his face withal, and a plummet of +sling-lead smote his helm, and he fell to earth; but leapt up +again straightway, and heard as he arose a great shout close to +him, and a shrill cry, and lo! at his left side Bow-may, her +sword in her hand, and the hand red with blood from a shaft-graze +on her wrist, and a white cloth stained with blood about her +neck; and on his right side Wood-wise bearing the banner and +crying the Wolf-whoop; for the whole company was come down from +the slope and stood around him.</p> +<p>Then for a little while was there such a stilling of the +tumult about him there, that he heard great and glad cries from +the Road of the South of ‘The Burg and the Steer! The +Dale and the Bridge! The Dale and the Bull!’ +And thereafter a terrible great shrieking cry, and a huge voice +that cried: ‘Death, <a name="page348"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 348</span>death, death to the Dusky +Men!’ And thereafter again fierce cries and great +tumult of the battle.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god shook Dale-warden in the air, and strode +forward fiercely, but not speedily, and the whole company went +foot for foot along with him; and as he went, would he or would +he not, song came into his mouth, a song of the meadows of the +Dale, even such as this:</p> +<p class="poetry">The wheat is done blooming and rust’s on +the sickle,<br /> + And green are the meadows grown after the scythe.<br +/> +Come, hands for the dance! For the toil hath been +mickle,<br /> + And ’twixt haysel and harvest ’tis time +to be blithe.</p> +<p class="poetry">And what shall the tale be now dancing is +over,<br /> + And kind on the meadow sits maiden by man,<br /> +And the old man bethinks him of days of the lover,<br /> + And the warrior remembers the field that he wan?</p> +<p class="poetry">Shall we tell of the dear days wherein we are +dwelling,<br /> + The best days of our Mother, the cherishing Dale,<br +/> +When all round about us the summer is telling,<br /> + To ears that may hearken, the heart of the tale?</p> +<p class="poetry">Shall we sing of these hands and these lips +that caress us,<br /> + And the limbs that sun-dappled lie light here +beside,<br /> +When still in the morning they rise but to bless us,<br /> + And oft in the midnight our footsteps abide?</p> +<p class="poetry">O nay, but to tell of the fathers were +better,<br /> + And of how we were fashioned from out of the +earth;<br /> +Of how the once lowly spurned strong at the fetter;<br /> + Of the days of the deeds and beginning of mirth.</p> +<p class="poetry">And then when the feast-tide is done in the +morning,<br /> + Shall we whet the grey sickle that bideth the +wheat,<br /> +<a name="page349"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 349</span>Till wan +grow the edges, and gleam forth a warning<br /> + Of the field and the fallow where edges shall +meet.</p> +<p class="poetry">And when cometh the harvest, and hook upon +shoulder<br /> + We enter the red wheat from out of the road,<br /> +We shall sing, as we wend, of the bold and the bolder,<br /> + And the Burg of their building, the beauteous +abode.</p> +<p class="poetry">As smiteth the sickle amid the sun’s +burning<br /> + We shall sing how the sun saw the token unfurled,<br +/> +When forth fared the Folk, with no thought of returning,<br /> + In the days when the Banner went wide in the +world.</p> +<p>Many saw that he was singing, but heard not the words of his +mouth, for great was the noise and clamour. But he heard +Bow-may, how she laughed by his side, and cried out:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane, dear-heart, now art thou merry indeed; and +glad am I, though they told me that I am hurt.—Ah! now +beware, beware!’</p> +<p>For indeed the Dusky Men, seeing the wall of steel rolling +down on them, and cooped up by the houses, so that they scarce +knew how to flee, turned in the face of death, the foremost of +them, and rushed furiously on the array of the Woodlanders, and +all those behind pressed on them like the big wave of the ebbing +sea when the gust of the wind driveth it landward.</p> +<p>The Woodlanders met them, shouting out: ‘The Greenwood +and the Wolf, the Greenwood and the Wolf!’ But not a +few of them fell there, though they gave not back a foot; for so +fierce now were the Dusky Men, that hewing and thrusting at them +availed nought, unless they were slain outright or stunned; and +even if they fell they rolled themselves up against their tall +foe-men, heeding not death or wounds if they might but slay or +wound. There then fell War-grove and ten others of the +Woodlanders, and four men of the Wolf, but none before he had +slain his foeman; and as each man fell or was hurt grievously, +another took his place.</p> +<p><a name="page350"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 350</span>Now a +felon leapt up and caught Gold-ring by the neck and drew him +down, while another strove to smite his head off; but the stout +carle drave a wood-knife into the side of the first felon, and +drew it out speedily and smote the other, the smiter, in the face +with the same knife, and therewith they all three rolled together +on the earth amongst the feet of men. Even so did another +felon by Bow-may, and dragged her down to the ground, and smote +her with a long knife as she tumbled down; and this was a feat of +theirs, for they were long-armed like apes.</p> +<p>But as to this felon, Dale-warden’s edge split his +skull, and Face-of-god gathered his might together and bestrode +Bow-may, till he had hewed a space round about him with great +two-handed strokes; and yet the blade brake not. Then he +caught up Bow-may from the earth, and the felon’s knife had +not pierced her hauberk, but she was astonied, and might not +stand upon her feet; and Face-of-god turned aside a little with +her, and half bore her, half thrust her through the throng to the +rearward of his folk, and left her there with two carlines of the +Wolf who followed the host for leechcraft’s sake, and then +turned back shouting: ‘For the Face, for the Face!’ +and there followed him back to the battle, a band of those who +were fresh as yet, and their blades unbloodied, the young men of +the Woodlands.</p> +<p>The wearier fighters made way for them as they came on +shouting, and Face-of-god was ahead of them all, and leapt at the +foemen as a man unwearied and striking his first stroke, so +wondrous hale he was; and they drave a wedge amidst of the Dusky +Men, and then turned about and stood back to back hewing at all +that drifted on them. But as Face-of-god cleared a space +about him, lo! almost within reach of his sword-point up rose a +grim shape from the earth, tall, grey-haired, and bloody-faced, +who uttered the Wolf-whoop from amidst the terror of his visage, +and turned and swung round his head an axe of the Dusky Men, and +fell to smiting them with their own weapon. The Dusky Men +shrieked in answer to his whoop, and all shrunk <a +name="page351"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 351</span>from him +and Face-of-god; but a cry of joy went up from the kindred, for +they knew Gold-ring, whom they deemed had been slain. So +they all pressed on together, smiting down the foe before them, +and the Dusky Men, some turned their backs and drave those behind +them, till they too turned and were strained through the passages +and courts of the houses, and some were overthrown and trodden +down as they strove to hold face to the Woodlanders, and some +were hewn down where they stood; but the whole throng of those +that were on their feet drifted toward the Market-place, the +Woodlanders following them ever with point and edge, till betwixt +the bent and the houses no foeman stood up against them.</p> +<p>Then they stood together, and raised the whoop of victory, and +blew their horns long and loud in token of their joy, and the +Woodland men lifted up their voices and sang:</p> +<p class="poetry"> Now far, far aloof<br /> + Standeth lintel and roof,<br /> + The dwelling of days<br /> + Of the Woodland ways:<br /> + Now nought wendeth there<br /> + Save the wolf and the bear,<br /> + And the fox of the waste<br /> + Faring soft without haste.<br /> +No carle the axe whetteth on oak-laden hill;<br /> +No shaft the hart letteth to wend at his will;<br /> +None heedeth the thunder-clap over the glade,<br /> +And the wind-storm thereunder makes no man afraid.<br /> +Is it thus then that endeth man’s days on Mid-earth,<br /> +For no man there wendeth in sorrow or mirth?</p> +<p class="poetry"> Nay, look down on the road<br +/> + From the ancient abode!<br /> + Betwixt acre and field<br /> + Shineth helm, shineth shield.<br /> + <a name="page352"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +352</span>And high over the heath<br /> + Fares the bane in his sheath;<br /> + For the wise men and bold<br /> + Go their ways o’er the wold.<br /> +Now the Warrior hath given them heart and fair day,<br /> +Unbidden, undriven, they fare to the fray.<br /> +By the rock and the river the banners they bear,<br /> +And their battle-staves quiver ’neath halbert and spear;<br +/> +On the hill’s brow they gather, and hang o’er the +Dale<br /> +As the clouds of the Father hang, laden with bale.</p> +<p class="poetry"> Down shineth the sun<br /> + On the war-deed half done;<br /> + All the fore-doomed to die,<br /> + In the pale dust they lie.<br /> + There they leapt, there they fell,<br /> + And their tale shall we tell;<br /> + But we, e’en in the gate<br /> + Of the war-garth we wait,<br /> +Till the drift of war-weather shall whistle us on,<br /> +And we tread all together the way to be won,<br /> +To the dear land, the dwelling for whose sake we came<br /> +To do deeds for the telling of song-becrowned fame.<br /> +Settle helm on the head then! Heave sword for the Dale!<br +/> +Nor be mocked of the dead men for deedless and pale.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLVI. MEN MEET IN THE MARKET OF +SILVER-STEAD.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">So</span> sang they; but Face-of-god went +with Red-wolf, who was hurt sorely, but not deadly, and led him +back toward the place just under the break of the bent; and there +he found Bow-may in the hands of the women who were tending her +hurts. She <a name="page353"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +353</span>smiled on him from a pale face as he drew nigh, and he +looked kindly at her, but he might not abide there, for haste was +in his feet. He left Red-wolf to the tending of the women, +and clomb the bent hastily, and when he deemed he was high +enough, he looked about him; and somewhat more than half an hour +had worn since Bow-may had sped the first shaft against the Dusky +Men.</p> +<p>He looked down into the Market-stead, and deemed he could see +that nigh the Mote-house the Dusky Men were gathering into some +better order; but they were no longer drifting toward the +southern bents, but were standing round about the altar as men +abiding somewhat; and he deemed that they had gotten more bowshot +than before, and that most of them bare bows. Though so +many had been slain in the battles of the southern bents, yet was +the Market-stead full of them, so to say, for others had come +thereto in place of those that had fallen.</p> +<p>But now as he looked arose mighty clamour amongst them; and a +little west of the Altar was a stir and a hurrying onward and +around as in the eddies of a swift stream. Face-of-god +wotted not what was betiding there, but he deemed that they were +now ware of the onfall of Folk-might and Hall-face and the men of +Burgdale, for their faces were all turned to where that was to be +looked for.</p> +<p>So he turned and looked on the road to the east of him, where +had been the battle of the Steer, but now it was all gone down +toward the Market-place, and he could but hear the clamour of it; +but nought he saw thereof, because of the houses that hid it.</p> +<p>Then he cast his eyes on the road that entered the +Market-stead from the north, and he saw thereon many men +gathered; and he wotted not what they were; for though there were +weapons amongst them, yet were they not all weaponed, as far as +he could see.</p> +<p>Now as he looked this way and that, and deemed that he must +tarry no longer, but must enter into the courts of the houses <a +name="page354"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 354</span>before him +and make his way into the Market-stead, lo! a change in the +throng of Dusky Warriors nigh the Mote-house, and the ordered +bands about the Altar fell to drifting toward the western way +with one accord, with great noise and hurry and fierce cries of +wrath. Then made Face-of-god no delay, but ran down the +bent at once, and at the break of it came upon Bow-may standing +upright and sword in hand; and as he passed, she joined herself +to him, and said: ‘What new tidings now, +Gold-mane?’</p> +<p>‘Tidings of battle!’ he cried; ‘tidings of +victory! Folk-might hath fallen on, and the Dusky Men run +hastily to meet him. Hark, hark!’</p> +<p>For as he spoke came a great noise of horns, and Bow-may said: +‘What horn is that blowing?’</p> +<p>He stayed not, but shouted aloud: ‘For the Face, for the +Face! Now will we fall upon their backs!’</p> +<p>Therewith was he come to his company, and he cried out to +them: ‘Heard ye the horn, heard ye the horn? Now +follow me into the Market-place; much is yet to do!’</p> +<p>Even therewith came the sound of other horns, and all men were +silent a moment, and then shouted all together, for the +Wood-landers knew it for the horn of the Shepherds coming on by +the eastward way.</p> +<p>But Face-of-god waved his sword aloft and set on at once, and +they followed and gat them through the courts of the houses and +their passages into the Market-place. There they found more +room than they looked to find; for the foemen had drawn away on +the left hand toward the battle of Folk-might, and on the right +hand toward the battle of the Steer; and great was the noise and +cry that came thence.</p> +<p>Now stood Face-of-god under the two banners of the Wolf in the +Market-place of Silver-stead, and scarce had he time to be +high-hearted, for needs must he ponder in his mind what thing +were best to do. For on the left hand he deemed the foe was +the <a name="page355"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +355</span>strongest and best ordered; but there also were the +kindreds the doughtiest, and it was little like that the felons +should overcome the spear-casters of the Face and the +glaive-bearers of the Sickle, and the bowmen of the Vine: there +also were the wisest leaders, as the stark elder Stone-face, and +the tall Hall-face, and his father of the unshaken heart, and +above all Folk-might, fierce in his wrath, but his anger burning +steady and clear, like the oaken butt on the hearth of the +hall.</p> +<p>Then as his mind pictured him amongst the foe, it made +therewith another picture of the slender warrior Sun-beam caught +in the tangle of battle, and longing for him and calling for him +amidst the hard hand-play. And thereat his face flushed, +and all his body waxed hot, and he was on the very point of +leading the onset against the foe on the left. But +therewith he bethought him of the bold men of the Steer and the +Bridge and the Bull weary with much fighting; and he remembered +also that the Bride was amongst them and fighting, it might be, +amidst the foremost, and if she were slain how should he ever +hold up his head again. He bethought him also that the +Shepherds, who had fallen on by the eastern road, valiant as they +were, were scarce so well armed or so well led as the +others. Therewithal he bethought him (and again it came +like a picture into his mind) of falling on the foemen by whom +the southern battle was beset, and then the twain of them meeting +the Shepherds, and lastly, all those three companies joined +together clearing the Market-place, and meeting the men under +Folk-might in the midst thereof.</p> +<p>Therefore, scant had he been pondering these things in his +mind for a minute ere he cried out: ‘Blow up horns, blow +up! forward banners, and follow me, O valiant men! to the helping +of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull; deep have they thrust +into the Dusky Throng, and belike are hard pressed. Hark +how the clamour ariseth from their besetters! On now, +on!’</p> +<p>Therewith hung a star of sunlight on his sword as he raised it +aloft, and the Wolf-whoop rang out terribly in the Market-place, +<a name="page356"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 356</span>for now +had the Woodlanders also learned it, and the hearts of the foemen +sank as they heard the might and the mass thereof. Then the +battle of the Woodlanders swept round and fell upon the flank of +them who were besetting the kindreds, as an iron bar smiteth the +soft fir-wood; and they of the kindreds heard their cry, but +faintly and confusedly, so great was the turmoil of battle about +them.</p> +<p>Now once more was Bow-may by the side of Face-of-god; and if +she had not the might of the mightiest, yet had she the deftness +of the deftest. And now was she calm and cool, shielding +herself with a copper-bossed target, and driving home the point +of her sharp sword; white was her face, and her eyes glittered +amidst it, and she seemed to men like to those on whose heads the +Warrior hath laid the Holy Bread.</p> +<p>As to Wood-wise, he had given the Banner of the red-jawed Wolf +to Stone-wolf, a huge and dreadful warrior some forty winters +old, who had fought in the Great Overthrow, and now hewed down +the Dusky Men, wielding a heavy short-sword left-handed. +But Wood-wise himself fought with a great sword, giving great +strokes to the right hand and the left, and was no more hasty +than is the hewer in the winter wood.</p> +<p>Face-of-god fought wisely and coldly now, and looked more to +warding his friends than destroying his foes, and both to Bow-may +and Wood-wise his sword was a shield; for oft he took the life +from the edge of the upraised axe, and stayed the point of the +foeman in mid-air.</p> +<p>Even so wisely fought the whole band of the Woodlanders and +the Wolves, who got within smiting space of the foe; for they had +no will to cast away their lives when assured victory was so nigh +to them. Sooth to say, the hand-play was not so hard to +them as it had been betwixt the bent and the houses; for the +Dusky Men were intent on dealing with the men of the kindreds +from the southern road, who stood war-wearied before them; and +they were hewing and casting at them, and baying <a +name="page357"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 357</span>and yelling +like dogs; and though they turned about to meet the storm of the +Woodlanders, yet their hearts failed them withal, and they strove +to edge away from betwixt those two fearful scythes of war, +fighting as men fleeing, not as men in onset. But still the +Woodlanders and the Wolves came on, hewing and thrusting, smiting +down the foemen in heaps, till the Dusky Throng grew thin, and +the staves of the Dalesmen and their bright banners in the +morning sun were clear to see, and at last their very faces, +kindly and familiar, worn and strained with the stress of battle, +or laughing wildly, or pale with the fury of the fight. +Then rose up to the heavens the blended shout of the Woodlanders +and the Dalesmen, and now there was nought of foemen betwixt them +save the dead and the wounded.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god thrust his sword into its sheath all bloody +as it was, and strode over the dead men to where Hall-ward stood +under the banner of the Steer, and cast his arms about the old +carle, and kissed him for joy of the victory. But Hall-ward +thrust him aback and looked him in the face, and his cheeks were +pale and his lips clenched, and his eyes haggard and staring, and +he said in a harsh voice:</p> +<p>‘O young man, she is dead! I saw her fall. +The Bride is dead, and thou hast lost thy troth-plight maiden. O +death, death to the Dusky Men!’</p> +<p>Then grew Face-of-god as pale as a linen sleeve, and all the +new-comers groaned and cried out. But a bystander said: +‘Nay, nay, it is nought so bad as that; she is hurt, and +sorely; but she liveth yet.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god heard him not. He forgot Dale-warden lying +in his sheath, and he saw that the last speaker had a great +wood-axe broad and heavy in his hand, so he cried: ‘Man, +man, thine axe!’ and snatched it from him, and turned about +to the foe again, and thrust through the ranks, suffering none to +stay him till all his friends were behind and all his foes before +him. And as he burst forth from the ranks waving his axe +aloft, bare-headed <a name="page358"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +358</span>now, his yellow hair flying abroad, his mouth crying +out, ‘Death, death, death to the Dusky Men!’ fear of +him smote their hearts, and they howled and fled before him as +they might; for they said that the Dalesmen had prayed their Gods +into the battle. But not so fast could they flee but he was +presently amidst them, smiting down all about him, and they so +terror-stricken that scarce might they raise a hand against +him. All that blended host followed him mad with wrath and +victory, and as they pressed on, they heard behind them the horns +and war-cries of the Shepherds falling on from the east. +Nought they heeded that now, but drave on a fearful storm of war, +and terrible was the slaughter of the Felons.</p> +<p>It was but a few minutes ere they had driven them up against +that great stack of faggots that had been dight for the +burnt-offering of men, and many of the felons had mounted up on +to it, and now in their anguish of fear were shooting arrows and +casting spears on all about them, heeding little if they were +friend or foe. Now were the men of the kindreds at point to +climb this twiggen burg; but by this time the fury of Face-of-god +had run clear, and he knew where he was and what he was doing; so +he stayed his folk, and cried out to them: ‘Forbear, climb +not! let the torch help the sword!’ And therewith he +looked about and saw the fire-pot which had been set down there +for the kindling of the bale-fire, and the coals were yet red in +it; so he snatched up a dry brand and lighted it thereat, and so +did divers others, and they thrust them among the faggots, and +the fire caught at once, and the tongues of flame began to leap +from faggot to faggot till all was in a light low; for the wood +had been laid for that very end, and smeared with grease and oil +so that the burning to the god might be speedy.</p> +<p>But the fierceness of the kindreds heeded not the fire, nor +overmuch the men who leapt down from the stack before it, but +they left all behind them, faring straight toward the western +outgate from the Market-stead; and Face-of-god still led them on; +<a name="page359"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 359</span>though +by now he was wholly come to his right mind again, albeit the +burden of sorrow yet lay heavy on his heart. He had broken +his axe, and had once more drawn Dale-warden from his sheath, and +many felt his point and edge.</p> +<p>But now, as they chased, came a rush of men upon them again, +as though a new onset were at hand. That saw Face-of-god +and Hall-ward and War-well, and other wise leaders of men, and +they bade their folk forbear the chase, and lock their ranks to +meet the onfall of this new wave of foemen. And they did +so, and stood fast as a wall; but lo! the onrush that drave up +against them was but a fleeing shrieking throng, and no longer an +array of warriors, for many had cast away their weapons, and were +rushing they knew not whither; for they were being thrust on the +bitter edges of Face-of-god’s companies by the terror of +the fleers from the onset of the men of the Face, the Sickle, and +the Vine, whom Hall-face and Stone-face were leading, along with +Folk-might. Then once again the men of Face-of-god gave +forth the whoop of victory, and pressed forward again, hewing +their way through the throng of fleers, but turning not to chase +to the right or the left; while at their backs came on the +Shepherd-folk, who had swept down all that withstood them; for +now indeed was the Market-stead getting thinner of living +men.</p> +<p>So led the War-leader his ordered ranks, till at last over the +tangled crowd of runaways he saw the banners of the Burg and the +Face flashing against the sun, and heard the roar of the kindreds +as they drave the chase towards them. Then he lifted up his +sword, and stood still, and all the host behind him stayed and +cast a huge shout up to the heavens, and there they abode the +coming of the other Dalesmen.</p> +<p>But the War-leader sent a message to Hound-under-Greenbury, +bidding him lead the Shepherds to the chase of the Dusky Men, who +were now all fleeing toward the northern outgate of the +Market. Howbeit he called to mind the throng he had seen on +the northern road before they were come into the Market-stead, <a +name="page360"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 360</span>and deemed +that way also death awaited the foemen, even if the men of the +kindreds forbore them.</p> +<p>But presently the space betwixt the Woodlanders and the men of +the Face was clear of all but the dead, so that friend saw the +face of friend; and it could be seen that the warriors of the +Face were ruddy and smiling for joy, because the battle had been +easy to them, and but few of them had fallen; for the Dusky Men +who had left the Market-stead to fall on them, had had room for +fleeing behind them, and had speedily turned their backs before +the spear-casting of the men of the Face and the onrush of the +swordsmen.</p> +<p>There then stood these victorious men facing one another, and +the banner-bearers on either side came through the throng, and +brought the banners together between the two hosts; and the Wolf +kissed the Face, and the Sickle and the Vine met the Steer and +the Bridge and the Bull: but the Shepherds were yet chasing the +fleers.</p> +<p>There in the forefront stood Hall-face the tall, with the joy +of battle in his eyes. And Stone-face, the wise carle in +war, stood solemn and stark beside him; and there was the goodly +body and the fair and kindly visage of the Alderman smiling on +the faces of his friends. But as for Folk-might, his face +was yet white and aweful with anger, and he looked restlessly up +and down the front of the kindreds, though he spake no word.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god could no longer forbear, but he thrust +Dale-warden into his sheath, and ran forward and cast his arms +about his father’s neck and kissed him; and the blood of +himself and of the foemen was on him, for he had been hurt in +divers places, but not sorely, because of the good hammer-work of +the Alderman.</p> +<p>Then he kissed his brother and Stone-face, and he took +Folk-might by the hand, and was on the point of speaking some +word to him, when the ranks of the Face opened, and lo! the +Sun-beam in her bright war-gear, and the sword girt to her side, +and she unhurt and unsullied.</p> +<p><a name="page361"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 361</span>Then +was it to him as when he met her first in Shadowy Vale, and he +thought of little else than her; but she stepped lightly up to +him, and unashamed before the whole host she kissed him on the +mouth, and he cast his mailed arms about her, and joy made him +forget many things and what was next to do, though even at that +moment came afresh a great clamour of shrieks and cries from the +northern outgate of the Market-stead: and the burning pile behind +them cast a great wavering flame into the air, contending with +the bright sun of that fair day, now come hard on noontide. +But ere he drew away his face from the Sun-beam’s, came +memory to him, and a sharp pang shot through his heart, as he +heard Folk-might say: ‘Where then is the Shield-may of +Burgstead? where is the Bride?’</p> +<p>And Face-of-god said under his breath: ‘She is dead, she +is dead!’ And then he stared out straight before him +and waited till someone else should say it aloud. But +Bow-may stepped forward and said: ‘Chief of the Wolf, be of +good cheer; our kinswoman is hurt, but not deadly.’</p> +<p>The Alderman’s face changed, and he said: ‘Hast +thou seen her, Bow-may?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ she said. ‘How should I leave +the battle? but others have told me who have seen her.’</p> +<p>Folk-might stared into the ranks of men before him, but said +nothing. Said the Alderman: ‘Is she well +tended?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, surely,’ said Bow-may, ‘since she is +amongst friends, and there are no foemen behind us.’</p> +<p>Then came a voice from Folk-might which said: ‘Now were +it best to send good men and deft in arms, and who know +Silver-dale, from house to house, to search for foemen who may be +lurking there.’</p> +<p>The Alderman looked kindly and sadly on him and said:</p> +<p>‘Kinsman Stone-face, and Hall-face my son, the brunt of +the battle is now over, and I am but a simple man amongst you; +therefore, if ye will give me leave, I will go see this poor +kinswoman of ours, and comfort her.’</p> +<p><a name="page362"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 362</span>They +bade him go: so he sheathed his sword, and went through the press +with two men of the Steer toward the southern road; for the Bride +had been brought into a house nigh the corner of the +Market-place.</p> +<p>But Face-of-god looked after his father as he went, and +remembrance of past days came upon him, and such a storm of grief +swept over him, as he thought of the Bride lying pale and +bleeding and brought anigh to her death, that he put his hands to +his face and wept as a child that will not be comforted; nor had +he any shame of all those bystanders, who in sooth were men good +and kindly, and had no shame of his grief or marvelled at it, for +indeed their own hearts were sore for their lovely kinswoman, and +many of them also wept with Face-of-god. But the Sun-beam +stood by and looked on her betrothed, and she thought many things +of the Bride, and was sorry, albeit no tears came into her eyes; +then she looked askance at Folk-might and trembled; but he said +coldly, and in a loud voice:</p> +<p>‘Needs must we search the houses for the lurking felons, +or many a man will yet be murdered. Let Wood-wicked lead a +band of men at once from house to house.’</p> +<p>Then said a man of the Wolf hight Hardgrip: ‘Wood-wicked +was slain betwixt the bent and the houses.’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘Let it be Wood-wise then.’</p> +<p>But Bow-may said: ‘Wood-wise is even now hurt in the leg +by a wounded felon, and may not go afoot.’</p> +<p>Then said Folk-might: ‘Is Crow the Shaft-speeder +anigh?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, here am I,’ quoth a tall man of fifty +winters, coming from out the ranks where stood the Wolves.</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘Kinsman Crow, do thou take two score +and ten of doughty men who are not too hot-headed, and search +every house about the Market-place; but if ye come on any house +that makes a stout defence, send ye word thereof to the +Mote-house, where we will presently be, and we shall send you +help. Slay every felon that ye fall in with; but if ye find +in the <a name="page363"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +363</span>houses any of the poor folk crouching and afraid, +comfort their hearts all ye may, and tell them that now is life +come to them.’</p> +<p>So Crow fell to getting his band together, and presently +departed with them on his errand.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLVII. THE KINDREDS WIN THE MOTE-HOUSE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> din and tumult still came from +the north side of the Market-place, so that all the air was full +of noise; and Face-of-god deemed that the thralls had gotten +weapons into their hands and were slaying their masters.</p> +<p>Now he lifted up his face, and put his hand on +Folk-might’s shoulder, and said in a loud voice:</p> +<p>‘Kinsmen, it were well if our brother were to bid the +banners into the Mote-house of the Wolf, and let all the Host set +itself in array before the said house, and abide till the chasers +of the foe come to us thither; for I perceive that they are now +become many, and are more than those of our kindred.’</p> +<p>Then Folk-might looked at him with kind eyes, and said:</p> +<p>‘Thou sayest well, brother; even so let it +be!’</p> +<p>And he lifted up his sword, and Face-of-god cried out in a +loud voice: ‘Forward, banners! blow up horns! fare we forth +with victory!’</p> +<p>So the Host drew its ranks together in good order, and they +all set forward, and old Stone-face took the Sun-beam by the hand +and led on behind Folk-might and the War-leader. But when +they came to the Hall, then saw they how the steps that led up to +the door were high and double, going up from each side without +any railing or fool-guard; and crowding the stairs and the +platform thereof was a band of the Dusky Men, as many as could +stand thereon, who shot arrows at the host of the kindreds, +howling like dogs, and chattering like apes; and arrows and <a +name="page364"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 364</span>spears came +from the windows of the Hall; yea, and on the very roof a score +of these felons were riding the ridge and mocking like the trolls +of old days.</p> +<p>Now when they saw this they stayed a while, and men shielded +them against the shafts; but the leaders drew together in front +of the Host, and Folk-might fell to speech; and his face was very +pale and stern; for now he had had time to think of the case of +the Bride, and fierce wrath, and grief unholpen filled his +soul. So he said:</p> +<p>‘Brothers, this is my business to deal with; for I see +before me the stair that leadeth to the Mote-house of my people, +and now would I sit there whereas my fathers sat, when peace was +on the Dale, as once more it shall be to-morrow. Therefore +up this stair will I go, and none shall hinder me; and let no man +of the host follow me till I have entered into the Hall, unless +perchance I fall dead by the way; but stand ye still and look +on.’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said Face-of-god, ‘this is partly the +business of the War-leader. There are two stairs. Be +content to take the southern one, and I will take the +northern. We shall meet on the plain stone at the +top.’</p> +<p>But Hall-face said: ‘War-leader, may I speak?’</p> +<p>‘Speak, brother,’ said Face-of-god.</p> +<p>Said Hall-face: ‘I have done but little to-day, +War-leader. I would stand by thee on the northern stair; so +shall Folk-might be content, if he doeth two men’s work who +are not little-hearted.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘The doom of the War-leader is that +Folk-might shall fall on by the southern stair to slake his grief +and increase his glory, and Face-of-god and Hall-face by the +northern. Haste to the work, O brothers!’</p> +<p>And he and Hall-face went to their places, while all looked +on. But the Sun-beam, with her hand still in +Stone-face’s, she turned white to the lips, and stared with +wild eyes before her, not knowing where she was; for she had +deemed that the battle was over, and Face-of-god saved from +it.</p> +<p><a name="page365"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 365</span>But +Folk-might tossed up his head and laughed, and cried out, +‘At last, at last!’ And his sword was in his +hand, the Sleep-thorn to wit, a blade of ancient fame; so now he +let it fall and hang to his wrist by the leash, while he clapped +his hands together and uttered the Wolf-whoop mightily, and all +the men of the Wolf that were in the host, and the Woodlanders +withal, uttered it with him. Then he put his shield over +his head and stood before the first of the steps, and the Dusky +Men laughed to see one man come against them, though there was +death in their hearts. But he laughed back at them in +triumph, and set his foot on the step, and let +Sleep-thorn’s point go into the throat of a Dusky lord, and +thrust amongst them, hewing right and left, and tumbling men over +the edge of the stair, which was to them as the narrow path along +the cliff-side that hangeth over the unfathomed sea. They +hewed and thrust at him in turn; but so close were they packed +that their weapons crossed about him, and one shielded him from +the other, and they swayed staggering on that fearful verge, +while the Sleep-thorn crept here and there amongst them, lulling +their hot fury. For, as desperate as they were, and +fighting for death and not for life, they had a horror of him and +of the sea of hatred below them, and feared where to set their +feet, and he feared nought at all, but from feet to sword-point +was but an engine of slaughter, while the heart within him +throbbed with fury long held back as he thought upon the Bride +and her wounding, and all the wrongs of his people since their +Great Undoing.</p> +<p>So he smote and thrust, till him-seemed the throng of foes +thinned before him: with his sword-pommel he smote a lord of the +Dusky Ones in the face, so that he fell over the edge amongst the +spears of the kindred; then he thrust the point of Sleep-thorn +towards the Hall-door through the breast of another, and then it +seemed to him that he had but one before him; so he hove up the +edges to cleave him down, but ere the stroke fell, close to his +ears exceeding loud rang out the cry, ‘For the Burg and the +Face! for the Face, for the Face!’ and he drew aback a +little, and his eyes <a name="page366"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 366</span>cleared, and lo! it was Hall-face +the tall, his long sword all reddened with battle; and beside him +stood Face-of-god, silent and panting, his face pale with the +fierce anger of the fight, and the weariness which was now at +last gaining upon him. There stood those three with no +other living man upon the plain of the stairs.</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god turned shouting to the Folk, and cried:</p> +<p>‘Forth now with the banners! For now is the Wolf +come home. On into the Hall, O Kindred of the +Gods!’</p> +<p>Then poured the Folk up over the stairs and into the Hall of +the Wolf, the banners flapping over their heads; and first went +the War-leader and Folk-might and Hall-face, and then the three +delivered thralls, Wolf-stone, God-swain, and Spear-fist, and +Dallach with them, though both he and Wolf-stone had been hurt in +the battle; and then came blended together the Men of the Face +along with them of the Wolf who had entered the Market-stead with +them, and with these were Stone-face and Wood-wont and Bow-may, +leading the Sun-beam betwixt them; and now was she come to +herself again, though her face was yet pale, and her eyes gleamed +as she stepped across the threshold of the Hall.</p> +<p>But when a many were gotten in, and the first-comers had had +time to handle their weapons and look about them, a cry of the +utmost wrath broke from Folk-might and those others who +remembered the Hall from of old. For wretched and befouled +was that well-builded house: the hangings rent away; the goodly +painted walls daubed and smeared with wicked tokens of the Alien +murderers: the floor, once bright with polished stones of the +mountain, and strewn with sweet-smelling flowers, was now as foul +as the den of the man-devouring troll of the heaths. From +the fair-carven roof of oak and chestnut-beams hung ugly knots of +rags and shapeless images of the sorcery of the Dusky Men. +And furthermore, and above all, from the last tie-beam of the +roof over the daïs dangled four shapes of men-at-arms, whom +the older men of the Wolf knew at once for the embalmed bodies of +their four great chieftains, who had been slain on the day of the +<a name="page367"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 367</span>Great +Undoing; and they cried out with horror and rage as they saw them +hanging there in their weapons as they had lived.</p> +<p>There was the Hostage of the Earth, his shield painted with +the green world circled with the worm of the sea. There was +the older Folk-might, the uncle of the living man, bearing a +shield with an oak and a lion done thereon. There was +Wealth-eker, on whose shield was done a golden sheaf of +wheat. There was he who bore a name great from of old, +Folk-wolf to wit, bearing on his shield the axe of the +hewer. There they hung, dusty, befouled, with sightless +eyes and grinning mouths, in the dimmed sunlight of the Hall, +before the eyes of that victorious Host, stricken silent at the +sight of them.</p> +<p>Underneath them on the daïs stood the last remnant of the +battle of the Dusky Men; and they, as men mad with coming death, +shook their weapons, and with shrieking laughter mocked at the +overcomers, and pointed to the long-dead chiefs, and called on +them in the tongue of the kindreds to come down and lead their +dear kinsmen to the high-seat; and then they cried out to the +living warriors of the Wolf, and bade them better their deed of +slaying, and set to work to make alive again, and cause their +kinsmen to live merry on the earth.</p> +<p>With that last mock they handled their weapons and rushed +howling on the warriors to meet their death; nor was it long +denied them; for the sword of the Wolf, the axe of the Woodland, +and the spear of the Dale soon made an end of the dreadful lives +of these destroyers of the Folks.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLVIII. MEN SING IN THE MOTE-HOUSE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Then</span> strode the Warriors of the +Wolf over the bodies of the slain on to the daïs of their +own Hall; and Folk-might led the Sun-beam by the hand, and now +was his sword in its sheath, and his face was grown calm, though +it was stern and <a name="page368"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +368</span>sad. But even as he trod the daïs comes a +slim swain of the Wolves twisting himself through the throng, and +so maketh way to Folk-might, and saith to him:</p> +<p>‘Chieftain, the Alderman of Burgdale sendeth me hither +to say a word to thee; even this, which I am to tell to thee and +the War-leader both: It is most true that our kinswoman the Bride +will not die, but live. So help me, the Warrior and the +Face! This is the word of the Alderman.’</p> +<p>When Folk-might heard this, his face changed and he hung his +head; and Face-of-god, who was standing close by, beheld him and +deemed that tears were falling from his eyes on to the +hall-floor. As for him, he grew exceeding glad, and he +turned to the Sun-beam and met her eyes, and saw that she could +scarce refrain her longing for him; and he was abashed for the +sweetness of his love. But she drew close up to him, and +spake to him softly and said:</p> +<p>‘This is the day that maketh amends; and yet I long for +another day. When I saw thee coming to me that first day in +Shadowy Vale, I thought thee so goodly a warrior that my heart +was in my mouth. But now how goodly thou art! For the +battle is over, and we shall live.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Face-of-god, ‘and none shall +begrudge us our love. Behold thy brother, the hard-heart, +the warrior; he weepeth because he hath heard that the Bride +shall live. Be sure then that she shall not gainsay +him. O fair shall the world be to-morrow!’</p> +<p>But she said: ‘O Gold-mane, I have no words. Is +there no minstrelsy amongst us?’</p> +<p>Now by this time were many of the men <a +name="page369"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 369</span>of the Wolf +and the Woodlanders gathered on the daïs of the Hall; and +the Dalesmen noting this, and wotting that these men were now in +their own Mote-house, withdrew them as they might for the press +toward the nether end thereof. That the Sun-beam noted, and +that all those about her save the War-leader were of the kindreds +of the Wolf and the Woodland, and, still speaking softly, she +said to Face-of-god:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane, meseemeth I am now in my wrong place; for +now the Wolf raiseth up his head, but I am departing from +him. Surely I should now be standing amongst my people of +the Face, whereto I am going ere long.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘Beloved, I am now become thy kindred and thine +home, and it is meet for thee to stand beside me.’</p> +<p>She cast her eyes adown and answered not; and she fell +a-pondering of how sorely she had desired that fair dale, and now +she would leave it, and be content and more than content.</p> +<p>But now the kindreds had sundered, they upon the daïs +ranked themselves together there in the House which their fathers +had builded; and when they saw themselves so meetly ordered, +their hearts being full with the sweetness of hope accomplished +and the joy of deliverance from death, song arose amongst them, +and they fell to singing together; and this is somewhat of their +singing:</p> +<p class="poetry"> Now raise we the lay<br /> + Of the long-coming day!<br /> + Bright, white was the sun<br /> + When we saw it begun:<br /> + O’er its noon now we live;<br /> + It hath ceased not to give;<br /> + It shall give, and give more<br /> + From the wealth of its store.<br /> +O fair was the yesterday! Kindly and good<br /> +Was the wasteland our guester, and kind was the wood;<br /> +Though below us for reaping lay under our hand<br /> +The harvest of weeping, the grief of the land;<br /> +Dumb cowered the sorrow, nought daring to cry<br /> +On the help of to-morrow, the deed drawing nigh.</p> +<p class="poetry"> <a name="page370"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 370</span>All increase throve<br /> + In the Dale of our love;<br /> + There the ox and the steed<br /> + Fed down the mead;<br /> + The grapes hung high<br /> + ’Twixt earth and sky,<br /> + And the apples fell<br /> + Round the orchard well.<br /> +Yet drear was the land there, and all was for nought;<br /> +None put forth a hand there for what the year wrought,<br /> +And raised it o’erflowing with gifts of the earth.<br /> +For man’s grief was growing beside of the mirth<br /> +Of the springs and the summers that wasted their wealth;<br /> +And the birds, the new-comers, made merry by stealth.</p> +<p class="poetry"> Yet here of old<br /> + Abode the bold;<br /> + Nor had they wailed<br /> + Though the wheat had failed,<br /> + And the vine no more<br /> + Gave forth her store.<br /> + Yea, they found the waste good<br /> + For the fearless of mood.<br /> +Then to these, that were dwelling aloof from the Dale,<br /> +Fared the wild-wind a-telling the worst of the tale;<br /> +As men bathed in the morning they saw in the pool<br /> +The image of scorning, the throne of the fool.<br /> +The picture was gleaming in helm and in sword,<br /> +And shone forth its seeming from cups of the board.</p> +<p class="poetry"> Forth then they came<br /> + With the battle-flame;<br /> + From the Wood and the Waste<br /> + And the Dale did they haste:<br /> + <a name="page371"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +371</span>They saw the storm rise,<br /> + And with untroubled eyes<br /> + The war-storm they met;<br /> + And the rain ruddy-wet.<br /> +O’er the Dale then was litten the Candle of Day,<br /> +Night-sorrow was smitten, and gloom fled away.<br /> +How the grief-shackles sunder! How many to morn<br /> +Shall awaken and wonder how gladness was born!<br /> +O wont unto sorrow, how sweet unto you<br /> +Shall be pondering to-morrow what deed is to do!</p> +<p class="poetry"> Fell many a man<br /> + ’Neath the edges wan,<br /> + In the heat of the play<br /> + That fashioned the day.<br /> + Praise all ye then<br /> + The death of men,<br /> + And the gift of the aid<br /> + Of the unafraid!<br /> +O strong are the living men mighty to save,<br /> +And good is their giving, and gifts that we have!<br /> +But the dead, they that gave us once, never again;<br /> +Long and long shall they save us sore trouble and pain.<br /> +O Banner above us, O God of the strong,<br /> +Love them as ye love us that bore down our wrong!</p> +<p>So they sang in the Hall; and there was many a man wept, as +the song ended, for those that should never see the good days of +the Dale, and all the joy that was to be; and men swore, by all +that they loved, that they would never forget those that had +fallen in the Winning of Silver-dale; and that when each year the +Cups of Memory went round, they should be no mere names to them, +but the very men whom they had known and loved.</p> +<h2><a name="page372"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +372</span>CHAPTER XLIX. DALLACH FARETH TO ROSE-DALE: CROW +TELLETH OF HIS ERRAND: THE KINDREDS EAT THEIR MEAT IN +SILVER-DALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> Dallach, who had gone away for +a while, came back again into the Hall; and at his back were a +half score of men who bore ladders with them: they were stout +men, clad in scanty and ragged raiment, but girt with swords and +bearing axes, those of them who were not handling the +ladders. Men looked on them curiously, because they saw +them to be of the roughest of the thralls. They were sullen +and fierce-eyed to behold, and their hands and bare arms were +flecked with blood; and it was easy to see that they had been +chasing the fleers, and making them pay for their many torments +of past days.</p> +<p>But when Face-of-god beheld this he cried out: ‘Ho, +Dallach! is it so that thou hast bethought thee to bring in +hither men to fall to the cleansing of the Hall, and to do away +the defiling of the Dusky Men?’</p> +<p>‘Even so, War-leader,’ said Dallach; ‘also +ye shall know that all battle is over in Silver-stead; for the +thralls fell in numbers not to be endured on the Dusky Men who +had turned their backs to us, and hindered them from fleeing +north. But though they have slain many, they have not slain +all, and the remnant have fled by divers ways westaway, that they +may gain the wood and the ways to Rose-dale; and the stoutest of +the thralls are at their heels, and ever as they go fresh men +from the fields join in the chase with great joy. I have +gathered together of the best of them two hundreds and a half +well-armed; and if thou wilt give me leave, I will get to me yet +more, and follow hard on the fleers, and so get me home to +Rose-dale; for thither will these runaways to meet whatso of +their kind may be left there. Also I would fain be there to +set some order amongst the poor folk of mine own people, whom +this day’s work hath delivered <a name="page373"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 373</span>from torment. And if thou wilt +suffer a few men of the Dalesmen to come along with me, then +shall all things be better done there.’</p> +<p>‘Luck go with thine hands!’ said +Face-of-god. ‘Take whomso thou wilt of the Burgdalers +that have a mind to fare with thee to the number of five score; +and send word of thy thriving to Folk-might, the chieftain of the +Dale; as for us, meseemeth that we shall abide here no long +while. How sayest thou, Folk-might, shall Dallach +go?’</p> +<p>Then Folk-might, who stood close beside him, looked up and +reddened somewhat, as a man caught heedless when he should be +heedful; but he looked kindly on Face-of-god, and said:</p> +<p>‘War-leader, so long as thou art in the Dale which ye +kindreds have won back for us, thou art the chieftain, and no +other, and I bid thee do as thou wilt in this matter, and in all +things; and I hereby give command to all my kindred to do +according to thy will everywhere and always, as they love me; and +indeed I deem that thy will shall be theirs; since it is only +fools who know not their well-wishers. How say ye, +kinsmen?’</p> +<p>Then those about cried out: ‘Hail to Face-of-god! +Hail to the Dalesmen! Hail to our friends!’</p> +<p>But Folk-might went up to Face-of-god, and threw his arms +about him and kissed him, and he said therewithal, so that most +men heard him:</p> +<p>‘Herewith I kiss not only thee, thou goodly and glorious +warrior! but this kiss and embrace is for all the men of the +kindreds of the Dale and the Shepherds; since I deem that never +have men more valiant dwelt upon the earth.’</p> +<p>Therewith all men shouted for joy of him, and were exceeding +glad; but Folk-might spake apart to Face-of-god and said:</p> +<p>‘Brother, I suppose that thou wilt deem it good to abide +in this Hall or anigh it; for hereabouts now is the heart of the +Host. But as for me, I would have leave to depart for a +little; since I have an errand, whereof thou mayest +wot.’</p> +<p><a name="page374"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 374</span>Then +Face-of-god smiled on him, and said: ‘Go, and all good go +with thee; and tell my father that I would have tidings, since I +may not be there.’ So he spake; yet in his heart was +he glad that he might not go to behold the Bride lying sick and +sorry. But Folk-might departed without more words; and in +the door of the Hall he met Crow the Shaft-speeder, who would +have spoken to him, and given him the tidings; but Folk-might +said to him: ‘Do thine errand to the War-leader, who is +within the Hall.’ And so went on his way.</p> +<p>Then came Crow up the Hall, and stood before Face-of-god and +said: ‘War-leader, we have done that which was to be done, +and have cleared all the houses about the Market-stead. +Moreover, by the rede of Dallach we have set certain men of the +poor folk of the Dale, who are well looked to by the others, to +the burying of the slain felons; and they be digging trenches in +the fields on the north side of the Market-stead, and carry the +carcasses thither as they may. But the slain whom they find +of the kindreds do they array out yonder before this Hall. +In all wise are these men tame and biddable, save that they rage +against the Dusky Men, though they fear them yet. As for +us, they deem us Gods come down from heaven to help them. +So much for what is good: now have I an ill word to say; to wit, +that in the houses whereas we have found many thralls alive, yet +also have we found many dead; for amongst these murder-carles +were some of an evil sort, who, when they saw that the battle +would go against them, rushed into the houses hewing down all +before them—man, woman, and child; so that many of the +halls and chambers we saw running blood like to shambles. +To be short: of them whom they were going to hew to the Gods, we +have found thirteen living and three dead, of which latter is one +woman; and of the living, seven women; and all these, living and +dead, with the leaden shackles yet on them wherein they should be +burned. To all these and others whom we have found, we have +done what of service we could in the way of <a +name="page375"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 375</span>victual and +clothes, so that they scarce believe that they are on this lower +earth. Moreover, I have with me two score of them, who are +men of some wits, and who know of the stores of victual and other +wares which the felons had, and these will fetch and carry for +you as much as ye will. Is all done rightly, +War-leader?’</p> +<p>‘Right well,’ said Face-of-god, ‘and we give +thee our thanks therefor. And now it were well if these thy +folk were to dight our dinner for us in some green field the +nighest that may be, and thither shall all the Host be bidden by +sound of horn. Meantime, let us void this Hall till it be +cleansed of the filth of the Dusky Ones; but hereafter shall we +come again to it, and light a fire on the Holy Hearth, and bid +the Gods and the Fathers come back and behold their children +sitting glad in the ancient Hall.’</p> +<p>Then men shouted and were exceeding joyous; but Face-of-god +said once more: ‘Bear ye a bench out into the Market-place +over against the door of this Hall: thereon will I sit with other +chieftains of the kindreds, that whoso will may have recourse to +us.’</p> +<p>So therewith all the men of the kindreds made their ways out +of the Hall and into the Market-stead, which was by this time +much cleared of the slaughtered felons; and the bale for the +burnt-offering was now but smouldering, and a thin column of blue +smoke was going up wavering amidst the light airs of the +afternoon. Men were somewhat silent now; for they were +stiff and weary with the morning’s battle; and a many had +been hurt withal; and on many there yet rested the after-grief of +battle, and sorrow for the loss of friends and well-wishers.</p> +<p>For in the battle had fallen one long hundred and two of the +men of the Host; and of these were two score and five of the +kindreds of the Steer, the Bull, and the Bridge, who had made +such valiant onslaught by the southern road. Of the +Shepherds died one score save three; for though they scattered +the foe at once, yet they fell on with such headlong valour, +rather than wisely, that many were trapped in the throng of the +Dusky Men. <a name="page376"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +376</span>Of the Woodlanders were slain one score and nine; for +hard had been the fight about them, and no man of them spared +himself one whit. Of the men of the Wolf, who were but a +few, fell sixteen men, and all save two of these in +Face-of-god’s battle. Of the Burgdale men whom +Folk-might led, to wit, them of the Face, the Vine, and the +Sickle, were but seven men slain outright. In this tale are +told all those who died of their hurts after the day of +battle. Therewithal many others were sorely hurt who +mended, and went about afterwards hale and hearty.</p> +<p>So as the folk abode in the Market-place, somewhat faint and +weary, they heard horns blow up merrily, and Crow the +Shaft-speeder came forth and stood on the mound of the altar, and +bade men fare to dinner, and therewith he led the way, bearing in +his hand the banner of the Golden Bushel, of which House he was; +and they followed him into a fair and great mead on the southwest +of Silver-stead, besprinkled about with ancient trees of sweet +chestnut. There they found the boards spread for them with +the best of victual which the poor down-trodden folk knew how to +dight for them; and especially was there great plenty of good +wine of the sun-smitten bents.</p> +<p>So they fell to their meat, and the poor folk, both men and +women, served them gladly, though they were somewhat afeard of +these fierce sword-wielders, the Gods who had delivered +them. The said thralls were mostly not of those who had +fallen so bitterly on their fleeing masters, but were men and +women of the households, not so roughly treated as the others, +that is to say, those who had been wont to toil under the lash in +the fields and the silver-mines, and were as wild as they durst +be.</p> +<p>As for these waiting-thralls, the men of the kindreds were +gentle and blithe with them, and often as they served them would +they stay their hands (and especially if they were women), and +would draw down their heads to put a morsel in their mouths, or +set the wine-cup to their lips; and they would stroke them and +caress them, and treat them in all wise as their dear +friends. Moreover, <a name="page377"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 377</span>when any man was full, he would +arise and take hold of one of the thralls, and set him in his +place, and serve him with meat and drink, and talk with him +kindly, so that the poor folk were much bewildered with +joy. And the first that arose from table were the Sun-beam +and Bow-may and Hall-face, with many of the swains and the women +of the Woodlanders; and they went from table to table serving the +others.</p> +<p>The Sun-beam had done off her armour, and went about exceeding +fair and lovely in her kirtle; but Bow-may yet bore her hauberk, +for she loved it, and indeed it was so fine and well-wrought that +it was no great burden. Albeit she had gone down with the +Sun-beam and other women to a fair stream thereby, and there had +they bathed and washed themselves; and Bow-may’s hurts, +which were not great, had been looked to and bound up afresh, and +she had come to table unhelmed, with a wreath of wind-flowers +round her head.</p> +<p>There then they feasted; and their hearts were strengthened by +the meat and drink; and if sorrow were blended with their joy, +yet were they high-hearted through both joy and sorrow, looking +forward to the good days to be in the Dales at the Roots of the +Mountains, and the love and fellowship of Folks and of +Houses.</p> +<p>But as for Face-of-god, he went not to the meadow, but abode +sitting on the bench in the Market-place, where were none else +now of the kindreds save the appointed warders. They had +brought him a morsel and a cup of wine, and he had eaten and +drunk; and now he sat there with Dale-warden lying sheathed +across his knees, and seeming to gaze on the thralls of +Silver-dale busied in carrying away the bodies of the slain +felons, after they had stripped them of their raiment and +weapons. Yet indeed all this was before his eyes as a +picture which he noted not. Rather he sat pondering many +things; wondering at his being there in Silver-dale in the hour +of victory; longing for the peace of Burgdale and the +bride-chamber of the Sun-beam. Then went his thought out +toward his old playmate lying hurt in Silver-dale; <a +name="page378"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 378</span>and his +heart was grieved because of her, yet not for long, though his +thought still dwelt on her; since he deemed that she would live +and presently be happy—and happy thenceforward for many +years. So pondered Face-of-god in the Market-place of +Silver-dale.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER L. FOLK-MIGHT SEETH THE BRIDE AND SPEAKETH WITH +HER.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> tells the tale of Folk-might, +that he went his ways from the Hall to the house where the Bride +lay; and the swain who had brought the message went along with +him, and he was proud of walking beside so mighty a warrior, and +he talked to Folk-might as they went; and the sound of his voice +was irksome to the chieftain, but he made as though he +hearkened. Yet when they came to the door of the house, +which was just out of the Place on the Southern road (for thereby +had the Bride fallen to earth), he could withhold his grief no +longer, but turned on the threshold and laid his head on the +door-jamb, and sobbed and wept till the tears fell down like +rain. And the boy stood by wondering, and wishing that +Folk-might would forbear weeping, but durst not speak to him.</p> +<p>In a while Folk-might left weeping and went in, and found a +fair hall sore befouled by the felons, and in the corner on a bed +covered with furs the wounded woman; and at first sight he deemed +her not so pale as he looked to see her, as she lay with her long +dark-red hair strewed over the pillow, her head moving about +wearily. A linen cloth was thrown over her body, but her +arms lay out of it before her. Beside her sat the Alderman, +his face sober enough, but not as one in heavy sorrow; and anigh +him was another chair as if someone had but just got up from +it. There was no one else in the hall save two women of the +Woodlanders, one of whom was cooking some potion on the hearth, +and <a name="page379"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +379</span>another was sweeping the floor anigh of bran or some +such stuff, which had been thrown down to sop up the blood.</p> +<p>So Folk-might went up to the Bride, sorely dreading the image +of death which she had grown to be, and sorely loving the woman +she was and would be.</p> +<p>He knelt down by the bedside, heeding Iron-face little, though +he nodded friendly to him, and he held his face close to hers; +but she had her eyes shut and did not open them till he had been +there a little while; and then they opened and fixed themselves +on his without surprise or change. Then she lifted her +right hand (for it was in her left shoulder and side that she had +been hurt) and slowly laid it on his head, and drew his face to +hers and kissed it fondly, as she both smiled and let the tears +run over from her eyes. Then she spake in a weak voice:</p> +<p>‘Thou seest, chieftain and dear friend, that I may not +stand by thy victorious side to-day. And now, though I were +fain if thou wouldst never leave me, yet needs must thou go about +thy work, since thou art become the Alderman of the Folk of +Silver-dale. Yea, and even if thou wert not to go from me, +yet in a manner should I go from thee. For I am grievously +hurt, and I know by myself, and also the leeches have told me, +that the fever is a-coming on me; so that presently I shall not +know thee, but may deem thee to be a woman, or a hound, or the +very Wolf that is the image of the Father of thy kindred; or +even, it may be, someone else—that I have played with time +agone.’</p> +<p>Her voice faltered and faded out here, and she was silent a +while; then she said:</p> +<p>‘So depart, kind friend and dear love, bearing this word +with thee, that should I die, I call on Iron-face my kinsman to +bear witness that I bid thee carry me to bale in Silver-dale, and +lay mine ashes with the ashes of thy Fathers, with whom thine own +shall mingle at the last, since I have been of the warriors who +have helped to bring thee aback to the land of thy +folk.’</p> +<p>Then she smiled and shut her eyes and said: ‘And if I +live, <a name="page380"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 380</span>as +indeed I hope, and how glad and glad I shall be to live, then +shalt thou bring me to thy house and thy bed, that I may not +depart from thee while both our lives last.’</p> +<p>And she opened her eyes and looked at him; and he might not +speak for a while, so ravished as he was betwixt joy and +sorrow. But the Alderman arose and took a gold ring from +off his arm, and spake:</p> +<p>‘This is the gold ring of the God of the Face, and I +bear it on mine arm betwixt the Folk and the God in all +man-motes, and I bore it through the battle to-day; and it is as +holy a ring as may be; and since ye are plighting troth, and I am +the witness thereof, it were good that ye held this ring together +and called the God to witness, who is akin to the God of the +Earth, as we all be. Take the ring, Folk-might, for I trust +thee; and of all women now alive would I have this woman +happy.’</p> +<p>So Folk-might took the ring and thrust his hand through it, +and took her hand, and said:</p> +<p>‘Ye Fathers, thou God of the Face, thou Earth-god, thou +Warrior, bear witness that my life and my body are plighted to +this woman, the Bride of the House of the Steer!’</p> +<p>His face was flushed and bright as he spoke, but as his words +ceased he noted how feebly her hand lay in his, and his face +fell, and he gazed on her timidly. But she lay quiet, and +said softly and slowly:</p> +<p>‘O Fathers of my kindred! O Warrior and God of the +Earth! bear witness that I plight my troth to this man, to lie in +his grave if I die, and in his bed if I live.’</p> +<p>And she smiled on him again, and then closed her eyes; but +opened them presently once more, and said:</p> +<p>‘Dear friend, how fared it with Gold-mane +to-day?’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘So well he did, that none might have +done better. He fared in the fight as if he had been our +Father the Warrior: he is a great chieftain.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘Wilt thou give him this message from me, that +in <a name="page381"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 381</span>no +wise he forget the oath which he swore upon the finger-ring as it +lay on the sundial of the Garden of the Face? And say, +moreover, that I am sorry that we shall part, and have between us +such breadth of wild-wood and mountain-neck.’</p> +<p>‘Yea, surely will I give thy message,’ said +Folk-might; and in his heart he rejoiced, because he heard her +speak as if she were sure of life. Then she said +faintly:</p> +<p>‘It is now thy work to depart from me, and to do as it +behoveth a chieftain of the people and the Alderman of +Silver-dale. Depart, lest the leeches chide me: farewell, +my dear!’</p> +<p>So he laid his face to hers and kissed her, and rose up and +embraced Iron-face, and went his ways without looking back.</p> +<p>But just over the threshold he met old Hall-ward of the House +of the Steer, who was at point to enter, and he greeted him +kindly. The old man looked on him steadily, and said: +‘To-morrow or the day after I will utter a word to thee, O +Chief of the Wolf.’</p> +<p>‘In a good hour,’ said Folk-might, ‘for all +thy words are true.’ Therewith he gat him away from +the house, and came to Face-of-god, where he sat before the altar +of the Crooked Sword; and now were the chiefs come back from +their meat, and were sitting with him; there also were +Wood-father and Wood-wont; but Bow-may was with the Sun-beam, who +was resting softly in the fair meadow after all the turmoil.</p> +<p>So men made place for Folk-might beside the War-leader, who +looked upon his face, and saw that it was sober and unsmiling, +but not heavy or moody with grief. So he deemed that all +was as well as it might be with the Bride, and with a good heart +fell to taking counsel with the others; and kindly and friendly +were the redes which they held there, with no gainsaying of man +by man, for the whole folk was glad at heart.</p> +<p>So there they ordered all matters duly for that present time, +and by then they had made an end, it was past sunset, and men +were lodged in the chief houses about the Market-stead.</p> +<p>Albeit, though they ate their meat with all joy of heart, and +<a name="page382"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 382</span>were +merry in converse one with the other, the men of the Wolf would +by no means feast in their Hall again till it had been cleansed +and hallowed anew.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LI. THE DEAD BORNE TO BALE: THE MOTE-HOUSE +RE-HALLOWED.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> the morrow they bore to bale +their slain men, and there withal what was left of the bodies of +the four chieftains of the Great Undoing. They brought them +into a most fair meadow to the west of Silver-stead, where they +had piled up a very great bale for the burning. In that +meadow was the Doom-ring and Thing-stead of the Folk of the Wolf, +and they had hallowed it when they had first conquered +Silver-dale, and it was deemed far holier than the Mote-house +aforesaid, wherein the men of the kindred might hold no due +court; but rather it was a Feast-hall, and a house where men had +converse together, and wherein precious things and tokens of the +Fathers were stored up.</p> +<p>The Thing-stead in the meadow was flowery and well-grassed, +and a little stream winding about thereby nearly cast a ring +around it; and beyond the stream was a full fair grove of +oak-trees, very tall and ancient. There then they burned +the dead of the Host, wrapped about in exceeding fair +raiment. And when the ashes were gathered, the men of +Burgdale and the Shepherds left those of their folk for the +kindred to bury there in Silver-dale; for they said that they had +a right to claim such guesting for them that had helped to win +back the Dale.</p> +<p>But when the Burning was done and the bale quenched, and the +ashes gathered and buried (and that was on the morrow), then men +bore forth the Banners of the Jaws of the Wolf, and the Red Hand, +and the Silver Arm, and the Golden Bushel, and the Ragged Sword, +and the Wolf of the Woodland; and with great joy and <a +name="page383"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 383</span>triumph +they brought them into the Mote-house and hung them up over the +daïs; and they kindled fire on the Holy Hearth by holding up +a disk of bright glass to the sun; and then they sang before the +banners. And this is somewhat of the song that they sang +before them:</p> +<p class="poetry">Why are ye wending? O whence and +whither?<br /> + What shineth over the fallow swords?<br /> +What is the joy that ye bear in hither?<br /> + What is the tale of your blended words?</p> +<p class="poetry">No whither we wend, but here have we stayed +us,<br /> + Here by the ancient Holy Hearth;<br /> +Long have the moons and the years delayed us,<br /> + But here are we come from the heart of the +dearth.</p> +<p class="poetry">We are the men of joy belated;<br /> + We are the wanderers over the waste;<br /> +We are but they that sat and waited,<br /> + Watching the empty winds make haste.</p> +<p class="poetry">Long, long we sat and knew no others,<br /> + Save alien folk and the foes of the road;<br /> +Till late and at last we met our brothers,<br /> + And needs must we to the old abode.</p> +<p class="poetry">For once on a day they prayed for guesting;<br +/> + And how were we then their bede to do?<br /> +Wild was the waste for the people’s resting,<br /> + And deep the wealth of the Dale we knew.</p> +<p class="poetry">Here were the boards that we must spread +them<br /> + Down in the fruitful Dale and dear;<br /> +Here were the halls where we would bed them:<br /> + And how should we tarry otherwhere?</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page384"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +384</span>Over the waste we came together:<br /> + There was the tangle athwart the way;<br /> +There was the wind-storm and the weather;<br /> + The red rain darkened down the day.</p> +<p class="poetry">But that day of the days what grief should let +us,<br /> + When we saw through the clouds the dale-glad sun?<br +/> +We tore at the tangle that beset us,<br /> + And stood at peace when the day was done.</p> +<p class="poetry">Hall of the Happy, take our greeting!<br /> + Bid thou the Fathers come and see<br /> +The Folk-signs on thy walls a-meeting,<br /> + And deem to-day what men we be.</p> +<p class="poetry">Look on the Holy Hearth new-litten,<br /> + How the sparks fly twinkling up aloof!<br /> +How the wavering smoke by the sunlight smitten,<br /> + Curls up around the beam-rich roof!</p> +<p class="poetry">For here once more is the Wolf abiding,<br /> + Nor ever more from the Dale shall wend,<br /> +And never again his head be hiding,<br /> + Till all days be dark and the world have end.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LII. OF THE NEW BEGINNING OF GOOD DAYS IN +SILVER-DALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> the third day there was +high-tide and great joy amongst all men from end to end of the +Dale; and the delivered thralls were feasted and made much of by +the kindreds, so that they scarce knew how to believe their own +five senses that told them the good tidings.</p> +<p>For none strove to grieve them and torment them; what they <a +name="page385"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 385</span>would, that +did they, and they had all things plenteously; since for all was +there enough and to spare of goods stored up for the Dusky Men, +as corn and wine and oil and spices, and raiment and +silver. Horses were there also, and neat and sheep and +swine in abundance. Withal there was the good and dear +land; the waxing corn on the acres; the blossoming vines on the +hillside; and about the orchards and alongside the ways, the +plum-trees and cherry-trees and pear-trees that had cast their +blossom and were overhung with little young fruit; and the fair +apple-trees a-blossoming, and the chestnuts spreading their +boughs from their twisted trunks over the green grass. And +there was the goodly pasture for the horses and the neat, and the +thymy hill-grass for the sheep; and beyond it all, the thicket of +the great wood, with its unfailing store of goodly timber of ash +and oak and holly and yoke-elm. There need no man lack +unless man compelled him, and all was rich enough and wide enough +for the waxing of a very great folk.</p> +<p>Now, therefore, men betook them to what was their own before +the coming of the Dusky Men; and though at first many of the +delivered thrall-folk feasted somewhat above measure, and though +there were some of them who were not very brisk at working on the +earth for their livelihood; yet were the most part of them quick +of wit and deft of hand, and they mostly fell to presently at +their cunning, both of husbandry and handicraft. Moreover, +they had great love of the kindreds, and especially of the +Woodlanders, and strove to do all things that might pleasure +them. And as for those who were dull and listless because +of their many torments of the last ten years, they would at least +fetch and carry willingly for them of the kindreds; and these +last grudged them not meat and raiment and house-room, even if +they wrought but little for it, because they called to mind the +evil days of their thralldom, and bethought them how few are +men’s days upon the earth.</p> +<p>Thus all things throve in Silver-dale, and the days wore on <a +name="page386"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 386</span>toward the +summer, and the Yule-tide rest beyond it, and the years beyond +and far beyond the winning of Silver-dale.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LIII. OF THE WORD WHICH HALL-WARD OF THE STEER +HAD FOR FOLK-MIGHT.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> of the time then passing, it is +to be said that the whole host abode in Silver-dale in great +mirth and good liking, till they should hear tidings of Dallach +and his company, who had followed hot-foot on the fleers of the +Dusky Men. And on the tenth day after the battle, Iron-face +and his two sons and Stone-face were sitting about sunset under a +great oak-tree by that stream-side which ran through the +Mote-stead; there also was Folk-might, somewhat distraught +because of his love for the Bride, who was now mending of her +hurts. As they sat there in all content they saw folk +coming toward them, three in number, and as they drew nigher they +saw that it was old Hall-ward of the Steer, and the Sun-beam and +Bow-may following him hand in hand.</p> +<p>When they came to the brook Bow-may ran up to the elder to +help him over the stepping-stones; which she did as one who loved +him, as the old man was stark enough to have waded the water +waist-deep. She was no longer in her war-gear, but was clad +after her wont of Shadowy Vale, in nought but a white woollen +kirtle. So she stood in the stream beside the stones, and +let the swift water ripple up over her ankles, while the elder +leaned on her shoulder and looked down upon her kindly. The +Sun-beam followed after them, stepping daintily from stone to +stone, so that she was a fair sight to see; her face was smiling +and happy, and as she stepped forth on to the green grass the +colour flushed up in it, but she cast her eyes adown as one +somewhat shamefaced.</p> +<p>So the chieftains rose up before the leader of the Steer, and +<a name="page387"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +387</span>Folk-might went up to him, and greeted him, and took +his hand and kissed him on the cheek. And Hall-ward +said:</p> +<p>‘Hail to the chiefs of the kindred, and my earthly +friends!’</p> +<p>Then Folk-might bade him sit down by him, and all the men sat +down again; but the Sun-beam leaned her back against a sapling +ash hard by, her feet set close together; and Bow-may went to and +fro in short turns, keeping well within ear-shot.</p> +<p>Then said Hall-ward: ‘Folk-might, I have prayed thy +kinswoman Bow-may to lead me to thee, that I might speak with +thee; and it is good that I find my kinsmen of the Face in thy +company; for I would say a word to thee that concerns them +somewhat.’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘Guest, and warrior of the Steer, thy +words are ever good; and if this time thou comest to ask aught of +me, then shall they be better than good.’</p> +<p>Said Hall-ward: ‘Tell me, Folk-might, hast thou seen my +daughter the Bride to-day?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Folk-might, reddening.</p> +<p>‘What didst thou deem of her state?’ said +Hall-ward.</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘Thou knowest thyself that the fever +hath left her, and that she is mending.’</p> +<p>Hall-ward said: ‘In a few days belike we shall be +wending home to Burgdale: when deemest thou that the Bride may +travel, if it were but on a litter?’</p> +<p>Folk-might was silent, and Hall-ward smiled on him and +said:</p> +<p>‘Wouldst thou have her tarry, O chief of the +Wolf?’</p> +<p>‘So it is,’ said Folk-might, ‘that it might +be labour lost for her to journey to Burgdale at +present.’</p> +<p>‘Thinkest thou?’ said Hall-ward; ‘hast thou +a mind then that if she goeth she shall speedily come back +hither?’</p> +<p>‘It has been in my mind,’ said Folk-might, +‘that I should wed her. Wilt thou gainsay it? I +pray thee, Iron-face my friend, and ye Stone-face and Hall-face, +and thou, Face-of-god, my brother, to lay thy words to mine in +this matter.’</p> +<p><a name="page388"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 388</span>Then +said Hall-ward stroking his beard: ‘There will be a seat +missing in the Hall of the Steer, and a sore lack in the heart of +many a man in Burgdale if the Bride come back to us no +more. We looked not to lose the maiden by her wedding; for +it is no long way betwixt the House of the Steer and the House of +the Face. But now, when I arise in the morning and miss +her, I shall take my staff and walk down the street of Burgstead; +for I shall say, The Maiden hath gone to see Iron-face my friend; +she is well in the House of the Face. And then shall I +remember how that the wood and the wastes lie between us. +How sayest thou, Alderman?’</p> +<p>‘A sore lack it will be,’ said Iron-face; +‘but all good go with her! Though whiles shall I go +hatless down Burgstead street, and say, Now will I go fetch my +daughter the Bride from the House of the Steer; while many a +day’s journey shall lie betwixt us.’</p> +<p>Said Hall-ward: ‘I will not beat about the bush, +Folk-might; what gift wilt thou give us for the +maiden?’</p> +<p>Said Folk-might: ‘Whatever is mine shall be thine; and +whatsoever of the Dale the kindred and the poor folk begrudge +thee not, that shalt thou have; and deemest thou that they will +begrudge thee aught? Is it enough?’</p> +<p>Hall-ward said: ‘I wot not, chieftain; see thou to +it! Bow-may, my friend, bring hither that which I would +have from Silver-dale for the House of the Steer in payment for +our maiden.’</p> +<p>Then Bow-may came forward speedily, and went up to the +Sun-beam, and led her by the hand in front of Folk-might and +Hall-ward and the other chieftains. Then Folk-might +started, and leapt up from the ground; for, sooth to say, he had +been thinking so wholly of the Bride, that his sister was not in +his mind, and he had had no deeming of whither Hall-ward was +coming, though the others guessed well enough, and now smiled on +him merrily, when they saw how wild Folk-might stared. <a +name="page389"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 389</span>As for the +Sun-beam, she stood there blushing like a rose in June, but +looking her brother straight in the face, as Hall-ward said:</p> +<p>‘Folk-might, chief of the Wolf, since thou wouldst take +our maiden the Bride away from us, I ask thee to make good her +place with this maiden; so that the House of the Steer may not +lack, when they who are wont to wed therein come to us and pray +us for a bedfellow for the best of their kindred.’</p> +<p>Then became Folk-might smiling and merry like unto the others, +and he said: ‘Chief of the Steer, this gift is thine, +together with aught else which thou mayst desire of +us.’</p> +<p>Then he kissed the Sun-beam, and said: ‘Sister, we +looked for this to befall in some fashion. Yet we deemed +that he that should lead thee away might abide with us for a moon +or two. But now let all this be, since if thou art not to +bear children to the kindreds of Silver-dale, yet shalt thou bear +them to their friends and fellows. And now choose what gift +thou wilt have of us to keep us in thy memory.’</p> +<p>She said: ‘The memory of my people shall not fade from +me; yet indeed I ask thee for a gift, to wit, Bow-may, and the +two sons of Wood-father that are left since Wood-wicked was +slain; and belike the elder and his wife will be fain to go with +their sons, and ye will not hinder them.’</p> +<p>‘Even so shall it be done,’ said Folk-might, and +he was silent a while, pondering; and then he said:</p> +<p>‘Lo you, friends! doth it not seem strange to you that +peace sundereth as well as war? Indeed I deem it grievous +that ye shall have to miss your well-beloved kinswoman. And +for me, I am now grown so used to this woman my sister, though at +whiles she hath been masterful with me, that I shall often turn +about and think to speak to her, when there lie long days of wood +and waste betwixt her voice and mine.</p> +<p>The Sun-beam laughed in his face, though the tears stood in +her eyes, as she said: ‘Keep up thine heart, brother; for +at least <a name="page390"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +390</span>the way is shorter betwixt Burgdale and Silver-dale +than betwixt life and death; and the road we shall learn +belike.’</p> +<p>Said Hall-face: ‘So it is that my brother is no ill +woodman, as ye learned last autumn.’</p> +<p>Iron-face smiled, but somewhat sadly; for he beheld +Face-of-god, who had no eyes for anyone save the Sun-beam; and no +marvel was that, for never had she looked fairer. And +forsooth the War-leader was not utterly well-pleased; for he was +deeming that there would be delaying of his wedding, now that the +Sun-beam was to become a maid of the Steer; and in his mind he +half deemed that it would be better if he were to take her by the +hand and lead her home through the wild-wood, he and she alone; +and she looked on him shyly, as though she had a deeming of his +thought. Albeit he knew it might not be, that he, the +chosen War-leader, should trouble the peace of the kindred; for +he wotted that all this was done for peace’ sake.</p> +<p>So Hall-ward stood forth and took the Sun-beam’s right +hand in his, and said:</p> +<p>‘Now do I take this maiden, Sun-beam of the kindred of +the Wolf, and lead her into the House of the Steer, to be in all +ways one of the maidens of our House, and to wed in the blood +wherein we have been wont to wed. Neither from henceforth +let anyone say that this woman is not of the blood of the Steer; +for we have given her our blood, and she is of us duly and +truly.’</p> +<p>Thereafter they talked together merrily for a little, and then +turned toward the houses, for the sun was now down; and as they +went Iron-face spake to his son, and said:</p> +<p>‘Gold-mane, wilt thou verily keep thine oath to wed the +fairest woman in the world? By how much is this one fairer +than my dear daughter who shall no more dwell in mine +house?’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Yea, father, I shall keep mine oath; +for the Gods, who know much, know that when I swore last Yule I +was thinking of the fair woman going yonder beside Hall-ward, and +of none other.’</p> +<p><a name="page391"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +391</span>‘Ah, son!’ said Iron-face, ‘why didst +thou beguile us? Hadst thou but told us the truth +then!’</p> +<p>‘Yea, Alderman,’ said Face-of-god smiling, +‘and how thou wouldest have raged against me then, when +thou hast scarce forgiven me now! In sooth, father, I +feared to tell you all: I was young; I was one against the +world. Yea, yea; and even that was sweet to me, so sorely +as I loved her—Hast thou forgotten, father?’</p> +<p>Iron-face smiled, and answered not; and so came they to the +house wherein they were guested.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LIV. TIDINGS OF DALLACH: A FOLK-MOTE IN +SILVER-DALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Three</span> days thereafter came two +swift runners from Rose-dale with tidings of Dallach. In +all wise had he thriven, and had slain many of the runaways, and +had come happily to Rose-dale: therein by the mere shaking of +their swords had they all their will; for there were but a few of +the Dusky Warriors in the Dale, since the more part had fared to +the slaughter in Silver-stead. Now therefore had Dallach +been made Alderman of Rose-dale; and the Burgdalers who had gone +with him should abide the coming thither of the rest of the +Burgdale Host, and meantime of their coming should uphold the new +Alderman in Rose-dale. Howbeit Dallach sent word that it +was not to be doubted but that many of the Dusky Men had escaped +to the woods, and should yet be the death of many a +mother’s son, unless it were well looked to.</p> +<p>And now the more part of the Burgdale men and the Shepherds +began to look toward home, albeit some amongst them had not been +ill-pleased to abide there yet a while; for life was exceeding +soft to them there, though they helped the poor folk gladly in +their husbandry. For especially the women of the Dale, <a +name="page392"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 392</span>of whom +many were very goodly, hankered after the fair-faced tall +Burgdalers, and were as kind to them as might be. Forsooth +not a few, both carles and queens, of the old thrall-folk prayed +them of Burgdale to take them home thither, that they might see +new things and forget their old torments once for all, yea, even +in dreams. The Burgdalers would not gainsay them, and there +was no one else to hinder; so that there went with the Burgdale +men at their departure hard on five score of the Silver-dale folk +who were not of the kindreds.</p> +<p>And now was a great Folk-mote holden in Silver-dale, whereto +the Burgdale men and the Shepherds were bidden; and thereat the +War-leader gave out the morrow of the morrow for the day of the +departure of the Host. There also were the matters of +Silver-dale duly ordered: the Men of the Wolf would have had the +Woodlanders dwell with them in the fair-builded stead, and take +to them of the goodly stone houses there what they would; but +this they naysaid, choosing rather to dwell in scattered houses, +which they built for themselves at the utmost limit of the +tillage.</p> +<p>Indeed, the most abode not even there a long while; for they +loved the wood and its deeds. So they went forth into the +wood, and cleared them space to dwell in, and builded them halls +such as they loved, and fell to their old woodland crafts of +charcoal-burning and hunting, wherein they throve well. And +good for Silver-dale was their abiding there, since they became a +sure defence and stout outpost against all foemen. For the +rest, wheresoever they dwelt, they were guest-cherishing and +blithe, and were well beloved by all people; and they wedded with +the other Houses of the Children of the Wolf.</p> +<p>As to the other matters whereof they took rede at this +Folk-mote, they had mostly to do with the warding of the Dale, +and the learning of the delivered thralls to handle weapons +duly. For men deemed it most like that they would have to +meet other men of the kindred of the Felons; which indeed fell +out as the years wore.</p> +<p><a name="page393"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +393</span>Moreover, Folk-might (by the rede of Stone-face) sent +messengers to the Plain and the Cities, unto men whom he knew +there, doing them to wit of the tidings of Silver-dale, and how +that a peaceful and guest-loving people, having good store of +wares, now dwelt therein, so that chapmen might have recourse +thither.</p> +<p>Lastly spake Folk-might and said:</p> +<p>‘Guests and brothers-in-arms, we have been looking about +our new house, which was our old one, and therein we find great +store of wares which we need not, and which we can but use if ye +use them. Of your kindness therefore we pray you to take of +those things what ye can easily carry. And if ye say the +way is long, as indeed it is, since ye are bent on going through +the wood to Rose-dale, and so on to Burgdale, yet shall we +furnish you with beasts to bear your goods, and with such wains +as may pass through the woodland ways.’</p> +<p>Then rose up Fox of Upton and said: ‘O Folk-might, and +ye men of the Wolf, be it known unto you, that if we have done +anything for your help in the winning of Silver-dale, we have +thus done that we might help ourselves also, so that we might +live in peace henceforward, and that we might have your +friendship and fellowship therewithal, so that here in +Silver-dale might wax a mighty folk who joined unto us should be +strong enough to face the whole world. Such are the redes +of wise men when they go a-warring. But we have no will to +go back home again made rich with your wealth; this hath been far +from our thought in this matter.’</p> +<p>And there went up a murmur from all the Burgdalers yeasaying +his word.</p> +<p>But Folk-might took up the word again and spake:</p> +<p>‘Men of Burgdale and the Sheepcotes, what ye say is both +manly and friendly; yet, since we look to see a road made plain +through the woodland betwixt Burgdale and Silver-dale, and that +often ye shall face us in the feast-hall, and whiles stand beside +us in the fray, we must needs pray you not to shame us <a +name="page394"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 394</span>by +departing empty-handed; for how then may we look upon your faces +again? Stone-face, my friend, thou art old and wise; +therefore I bid thee to help us herein, and speak for us to thy +kindred, that they naysay us not in this matter.’</p> +<p>Then stood up Stone-face and said: ‘Forsooth, friends, +Folk-might is in the right herein; for he may look for anger from +the wights that come and go betwixt his kindred and the Gods, if +they see us faring back giftless through the woods. +Moreover, now that ye have seen Silver-dale, ye may wot how rich +a land it is of all good things, and able to bring forth enough +and to spare. And now meseemeth the Gods love this Folk +that shall dwell here; and they shall become a mighty Folk, and a +part of our very selves. Therefore let us take the gifts of +our friends, and thank them blithely. For surely, as saith +Folk-might, henceforth the wood shall become a road betwixt us, +and the thicket a halting-place for friends bearing goodwill in +their hands.’</p> +<p>When he had spoken, men yeasaid his words and forbore the +gifts no longer; and the Folk-mote sundered in all +loving-kindness.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LV. DEPARTURE FROM SILVER-DALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> morrow of the morrow were the +Burgdale men and they of the Shepherds gathered together in the +Market-stead early in the morning, and they were all ready for +departure; and the men of the Wolf and the Woodlanders, and of +the delivered thralls a great many, stood round about them +grieving that they must go. There was much talk between the +folk of the Dale and the Guests, and many promises were given and +taken to come and go betwixt the two Dales. There also were +the men of the thrall-folk who were to wend home with the +Burgdalers; and they had been stuffed with good things by the men +of the kindreds, and were as fain as might be.</p> +<p><a name="page395"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 395</span>As +for the Sun-beam, she was somewhat out of herself at first, being +eager and restless beyond her wont, and yet at whiles +weeping-ripe when she called to mind that she was now leaving all +those things, the gain whereof had been a dream to her both +waking and sleeping for these years past. But at last, as +she stood in the door of the Mote-house, and beheld all the +throng of folk happy and friendly, it came over her that she +herself had done her full share to bring all this about, and that +all those pleasant places of Silver-dale now full of the goodly +life of man would be there even as she had striven for them, and +that they would be a part of her left behind, though she were +dwelling otherwhere.</p> +<p>Therewithal she said to herself that it was now her part to +wield the life of men in Burgdale, and begin once more her days +of a chieftain and a swayer of the Folk, and the life of a +stirring woman, which the edge of the sword and the need of the +hard hand-play had taken out of her hands for a while, making her +as a child in the hands of the strong wielders of the blades.</p> +<p>So now she became calm once more, and her face was clad again +with the full measure of that majesty of beauty which had once +overawed Face-of-god amidst his love of her; and folk beheld her +and marvelled at her fairness, and said: ‘She hath an +inward sorrow at leaving the fair Dale wherein her Fathers dwelt, +and where her mother’s ashes lie in earth.’ +Albeit now was her sorrow but little, and much was her hope, and +her foresight of days to be; though all the Dale, yea, every leaf +and twig of it whereby her feet had ever passed, and each stone +of the fair houses, was to her as a picture that she could look +on from henceforth for ever.</p> +<p>Of the Bride it is to be said that she was now much mended, +and she caused men bear her on a litter out into the Marketplace, +that she might look on the departure of her folk. She had +seen Face-of-god once and again since the Day of Battle, and each +time had been kind and blithe with him; and for Iron-face, <a +name="page396"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 396</span>she loved +him so well that she was ever loth to let him depart from her, +save when Folk-might was with her.</p> +<p>And now was the Alderman standing beside her, and she said to +him: ‘Friend and kinsman, this is the day of departure, and +though I must needs abide behind, and am content to abide, yet +doth mine heart ache with the sundering; for to-morrow when I +wake in the morning there will be no more sending of a messenger +to fetch thee to me. Indeed, great hath been the love +between me and my people, and nought hath come between us to mar +it. Now, kinsman, I would see Gold-mane, my cousin, that I +may bid him farewell; for who knoweth if I shall see him again +hereafter?’</p> +<p>Then went Iron-face and found Face-of-god where he was +speaking with Folk-might and the chieftains, and said to him:</p> +<p>‘Come quickly, for thy cousin the Bride would speak with +thee.’</p> +<p>Face-of-god reddened, and paled afterwards, but he went along +with his father silently; and his heart beat as he came and stood +before the litter whereas the Bride lay, clad all in white and +propped up on fair cushions of red silk. She was frail to +look on, and worn and pale yet; but he deemed that she was very +happy.</p> +<p>She smiled on him, and reached out her hand and said:</p> +<p>‘Welcome once more, cousin!’ And he held her +hand and kissed it, and was nigh weeping, so sore was he beset by +a throng of memories concerning her and him in the days when they +were little; and he bethought him of her loving-kindness of past +days, beyond that of most children, beyond that of most maidens; +and how there was nothing in his life but she had a share in it, +till the day when he found the Hall on the Mountain.</p> +<p>So he said to her: ‘Kinswoman, is it well with +thee?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘I am now nigh whole of my +hurts.’</p> +<p>He was silent a while; then he said:</p> +<p>‘And otherwise art thou merry at heart?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, indeed,’ said she; ‘yet thou wilt not +find it hard to deem that I am sorry of the sundering betwixt me +and Burgdale.’</p> +<p><a name="page397"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 397</span>Again +was he silent, and said in a while: ‘Dost thou deem that I +wrought that sundering?’</p> +<p>She smiled kindly on him and said: ‘Gold-mane, my +playmate, thou art become a mighty warrior and a great chief; but +thou art not so mighty as that. Many things lay behind the +sundering which were neither thou nor I.’</p> +<p>‘Yet,’ said he, ‘it was but such a little +time agone that all things seemed so sure; and we—to both +of us was the outlook happy.’</p> +<p>‘Let it be happy still,’ she said, ‘now +begrudging is gone. Belike the sundering came because we +were so sure, and had no defence against the wearing of the days; +even as it fareth with a folk that hath no foes.’</p> +<p>He smiled and said: ‘Even as it hath befallen <i>thy</i> +folk, O Bride, a while ago.’</p> +<p>She reddened, and reached her hand to him, and he took it and +held it, and said: ‘Shall I see thee again as the days +wear?’</p> +<p>Said she: ‘O chieftain of the Folk, thou shalt have much +to do in Burgdale, and the way is long. Yet would I have +thee see my children. Forget not the token on my hand which +thou holdest. But now get thee to thy folk with no more +words; for after all, playmate, the sundering is grievous to me, +and I would not spin out the time thereof. +Farewell!’</p> +<p>He said no more, but stooped down and kissed her lips, and +then turned from her, and took his ways to the head of the Host, +and fell to asking and answering, and bidding and arraying; and +in a little time was his heart dancing with joy to think of the +days that lay before him, wherein now all seemed happy.</p> +<p>So was all arrayed for departure when it lacked three hours of +noon. As Folk-might had promised, there were certain light +wains drawn by bullocks abiding the departure of the Host, and of +sumpter bullocks and horses no few; and all these were laden with +fair gifts of the Dale, as silver, and raiment, and +weapons. There were many things fair-wrought in the time of +the Sorrow, <a name="page398"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +398</span>that henceforth should see but little sorrow. +Moreover, there was plenty of provision for the way, both meal +and wine, and sheep and neat; and all things as fair as might be, +and well-arrayed.</p> +<p>It was the Shepherds who were to lead the way; and after them +were arrayed the men of the Vine and the Sickle; then they of the +Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull; and lastly the House of the +Face, with old Stone-face leading them. The Sun-beam was to +journey along with the House of the Steer, which had taken her in +as a maiden of their blood; and though she had so much liefer +have fared with the House of the Face, yet she went meekly as she +was bidden, as one who has gotten a great thing, and will make no +stir about a small one.</p> +<p>Along with her were Wood-father and Wood-mother, and +Wood-wise, now whole of his hurt, and Wood-wont, and +Bow-may. Save Bow-may, they were not very joyous; for they +were fain of Silver-dale, and it irked them to leave it; +moreover, they also had liefer have gone along with the House of +the War-leader.</p> +<p>Last of all went those people of the once thralls of the Dusky +Men who had cast in their lot with the Burgdalers, and they were +exceeding merry; and especially the women of them, they were +chattering like the stares in the autumn evening, when they +gather from the fields in the tall elm-trees before they go to +roost.</p> +<p>Now all the men of the Dale, both of the kindreds and of the +thrall-folk, made way for the Host and its havings, that they +might go their ways down the Dale; albeit the Woodlanders clung +close to the line of their ancient friends, and with them, as men +who were sorry for the sundering, were Wolf-stone and God-swain +and Spear-fist. But the chiefs, they drew around Folk-might +a little beside the way.</p> +<p>Now Red-coat of Waterless, who had been hurt, and was now +whole again, cast his arms about Folk-might and kissed him, and +said:</p> +<p>‘All the way hence to Burgdale will I sow with good +wishes <a name="page399"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +399</span>for thee and thine, and especially for my dear friend +God-swain of the Silver Arm; and I would wish and long that they +might turn into spells to draw thy feet to usward; for we love +thee well.’</p> +<p>In like wise spake other of the Burgdalers; and Folk-might was +kind and blithe with them, and he said:</p> +<p>‘Friends, forget ye not that the way is no longer from +you to us than it is from us to you. One half of this +matter it is for you to deal with.’</p> +<p>‘True is that,’ said Red-beard of the Knolls, +‘but look you, Folk-might, we be but simple husbandmen, and +may not often stir from our meadows and acres; even now I bethink +me that May is amidst us, and I am beginning to be drawn by the +thought of the haysel. Whereas thou—’ (and +therewith he reddened) ‘I doubt that thou hast little to do +save the work of chieftains, and we know that such work is but +little missed if it be undone.’</p> +<p>Thereat Folk-might laughed; and when the others saw that he +laughed, they laughed also, else had they foreborne for +courtesy’s sake.</p> +<p>But Folk-might answered: ‘Nay, chief of the Sickle, I am +not altogether a chieftain, now we have gotten us peace; and +somewhat of a husbandman shall I be. Moreover, doubt ye not +that I shall do my utmost to behold the fair Dale again; for it +is but mountains that meet not.’</p> +<p>Now spake Face-of-god to Folk-might, smiling and somewhat +softly, and said: ‘Is all forgiven now, since the day when +we first felt each other’s arms?’</p> +<p>‘Yea, all,’ said Folk-might; ‘now hath +befallen what I foretold thee in Shadowy Vale, that thou mightest +pay for all that had come and gone, if thou wouldest but look to +it. Indeed thou wert angry with me for that saying on that +eve of Shadowy Vale; but see thou, in those days I was an older +man than thou, and might admonish thee somewhat; but now, though +but few days have gone over thine head, yet many deeds have +abided in thine hand, and thou art much aged. Anger hath +left thee, and wisdom hath <a name="page400"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 400</span>waxed in thee. As for me, I +may now say this word: May the Folk of Burgdale love the Folk of +Silver-dale as well as I love thee; then shall all be +well.’</p> +<p>Then Face-of-god cast his arms about him and kissed him, and +turned away toward Stone-face and Hall-face his brother, where +they stood at the head of the array of the Face; and even +therewith came up the Alderman somewhat sad and sober of +countenance, and he pushed by the War-leader roughly and would +not speak with him.</p> +<p>And now blew up the horns of the Shepherds, and they began to +move on amidst the shouting of the men of Silver-dale; yet were +there amongst the Woodlanders those who wept when they saw their +friends verily departing from them.</p> +<p>But when they of the foremost of the Host were gotten so far +forward that the men of the Face could begin to move, lo! there +was Redesman with his fiddle amongst the leaders; and he had done +a man’s work in the day of battle, and all looked kindly on +him. About him on this morn were some who had learned the +craft of singing well together, and knew his minstrelsy, and he +turned to these and nodded as their array moved on, and he drew +his bow across the strings, and straightway they fell a-singing, +even as it might be thus:</p> +<p class="poetry">Back again to the dear Dale where born was the +kindred,<br /> + Here wend we all living, and liveth our mirth.<br /> +Here afoot fares our joyance, whatever men hindred,<br /> + Through all wrath of the heavens, all storms of the +earth.</p> +<p class="poetry">O true, we have left here a part of our +treasure,<br /> + The ashes of stout ones, the stems of the shield;<br +/> +But the bold lives they spended have sown us new pleasure,<br /> + Fair tales for the telling in fold and on field.</p> +<p class="poetry">For as oft as we sing of their edges’ +upheaving,<br /> + When the yellowing windows shine forth o’er +the night,<br /> +<a name="page401"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 401</span>Their +names unforgotten with song interweaving<br /> + Shall draw forth dear drops from the depths of +delight.</p> +<p class="poetry">Or when down by our feet the grey sickles are +lying,<br /> + And behind us is curling the supper-tide smoke,<br +/> +No whit shall they grudge us the joyance undying,<br /> + Remembrance of men that put from us the yoke.</p> +<p class="poetry">When the huddle of ewes from the fells we have +driven,<br /> + And we see down the Dale the grey reach of the +roof,<br /> +We shall tell of the gift in the battle-joy given,<br /> + All the fierceness of friends that drave sorrow +aloof.</p> +<p class="poetry">Once then we lamented, and mourned them +departed;<br /> + Once only, no oftener. Henceforth shall we +fling<br /> +Their names up aloft, when the merriest hearted<br /> + To the Fathers unseen of our life-days we sing.</p> +<p>Then was there silence in the ranks of men; and many murmured +the names of the fallen as they fared on their way from out the +Market-place of Silver-stead. Then once more Redesman and +his mates took up the song:</p> +<p class="poetry">Come tell me, O friends, for whom bideth the +maiden<br /> + Wet-foot from the river-ford down in the Dale?<br /> +For whom hath the goodwife the ox-waggon laden<br /> + With the babble of children, brown-handed and +hale?</p> +<p class="poetry">Come tell me for what are the women abiding,<br +/> + Till each on the other aweary they lean?<br /> +Is it loitering of evil that thus they are chiding,<br /> + The slow-footed bearers of sorrow unseen?</p> +<p class="poetry">Nay, yet were they toiling if sorrow had worn +them,<br /> + Or hushed had they bided with lips parched and +wan.<br /> +The birds of the air other tidings have borne them—<br /> + How glad through the wood goeth man beside man.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page402"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +402</span>Then fare forth, O valiant, and loiter no longer<br /> + Than the cry of the cuckoo when May is at hand;<br +/> +Late waxeth the spring-tide, and daylight grows longer,<br /> + And nightly the star-street hangs high o’er +the land.</p> +<p class="poetry">Many lives, many days for the Dale do ye +carry;<br /> + When the Host breaketh out from the thicket +unshorn,<br /> +It shall be as the sun that refuseth to tarry<br /> + On the crown of all mornings, the Midsummer +morn.</p> +<p>Again the song fell down till they were well on the western +way down Silver-dale; and then Redesman handled his fiddle once +more, and again the song rose up, and such-like were the words +which were borne back into the Market-place of Silver-stead:</p> +<p class="poetry">And yet what is this, and why fare ye so +slowly,<br /> + While our echoing halls of our voices are dumb,<br +/> +And abideth unlitten the hearth-brand the holy,<br /> + And the feet of the kind fare afield till we +come?</p> +<p class="poetry">For not yet through the wood and its tangle ye +wander;<br /> + Now skirt we no thicket, no path by the mere;<br /> +Far aloof for our feet leads the Dale-road out yonder;<br /> + Full fair is the morning, its doings all clear.</p> +<p class="poetry">There is nought now our feet on the highway +delaying<br /> + Save the friend’s loving-kindness, the +sundering of speech;<br /> +The well-willer’s word that ends words with the saying,<br +/> + The loth to depart while each looketh on each.</p> +<p class="poetry">Fare on then, for nought are ye laden with +sorrow;<br /> + The love of this land do ye bear with you still.<br +/> +In two Dales of the earth for to-day and to-morrow<br /> + Is waxing the oak-tree of peace and good-will.</p> +<p>Thus then they departed from Silver-dale, even as men who were +a portion thereof, and had not utterly left it behind. And +<a name="page403"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 403</span>that +night they lay in the wild-wood not very far from the +Dale’s end; for they went softly, faring amongst so many +friends.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LVI. TALK UPON THE WILD-WOOD WAY.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> the morrow morning when they +were on their way again Face-of-god left his own folk to go with +the House of the Steer a while; and amongst them he fell in with +the Sun-beam going along with Bow-may. So they greeted him +kindly, and Face-of-god fell into talk with the Sun-beam as they +went side by side through a great oak-wood, where for a space was +plain green-sward bare of all underwood.</p> +<p>So in their talk he said to her: ‘What deemest thou, my +speech-friend, concerning our coming back to guest in Silver-dale +one day?’</p> +<p>‘The way is long,’ she said.</p> +<p>‘That may hinder us but not stay us,’ said +Face-of-god.</p> +<p>‘That is sooth,’ said the Sun-beam.</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘What things shall stay us? Or +deemest thou that we shall never see Silver-dale +again?’</p> +<p>She smiled: ‘Even so I think thou deemest, +Gold-mane. But many things shall hinder us besides the long +road.’</p> +<p>Said he: ‘Yea, and what things?’</p> +<p>‘Thinkest thou,’ said the Sun-beam, ‘that +the winning of Silver-stead is the last battle which thou shalt +see?’</p> +<p>‘Nay,’ said he, ‘nay.’</p> +<p>‘Shall thy Dale—our Dale—be free from all +trouble within itself henceforward? Is there a wall built +round it to keep out for ever storm, pestilence, and famine, and +the waywardness of its own folk?’</p> +<p>‘So it is as thou sayest,’ quoth Face-of-god, +‘and to meet such troubles and overcome them, or to die in +strife with them, this is a great part of a man’s +life.’</p> +<p><a name="page404"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +404</span>‘Yea,’ she said, ‘and hast thou +forgotten that thou art now a great chieftain, and that the folk +shall look to thee to use thee many days in the year?’</p> +<p>He laughed and said: ‘So it is. How many days have +gone by since I wandered in the wood last autumn, that the world +should have changed so much!’</p> +<p>‘Many deeds shall now be in thy days,’ she said, +‘and each deed as the corn of wheat from which cometh many +corns; and a man’s days on the earth are not over +many.’</p> +<p>‘Then farewell, Silver-dale!’ said he, waving his +hand toward the north. ‘War and trouble may bring me +back to thee, but it maybe nought else shall. +Farewell!’</p> +<p>She looked on him fondly but unsmiling, as he went beside her +strong and warrior-like. Three paces from him went Bow-may, +barefoot, in her white kirtle, but bearing her bow in her hand; a +leash of arrows was in her girdle, her quiver hung at her back, +and she was girt with a sword. On the other side went +Wood-wont and Wood-wise, lightly clad but weaponed. +Wood-mother was riding in an ox-wain just behind them, and +Wood-father went beside her bearing an axe. Scattered all +about them were the men of the Steer, gaily clad, bearing +weapons, so that the oak-wood was bright with them, and the +glades merry with their talk and singing and laughter, and before +them down the glades went the banner of the Steer, and the White +Beast led them the nearest way to Burgdale.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LVII. HOW THE HOST CAME HOME AGAIN.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was fourteen days before they +came to Rose-dale; for they had much baggage with them, and they +had no mind to weary themselves, and the wood was nothing +loathsome to them, whereas the weather was fair and bright for +the more part. They fell in with no mishap by the +way. But a score and three <a name="page405"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 405</span>of runaways joined themselves to the +Host, having watched their goings and wotting that they were not +foemen. Of these, some had heard of the overthrow of the +Dusky Men in Silver-dale, and others not. The Burgdalers +received them all, for it seemed to them no great matter for a +score or so of new-comers to the Dale.</p> +<p>But when the Host was come to Rose-dale, they found it fair +arid lovely; and there they met with those of their folk who had +gone with Dallach. But Dallach welcomed the kindreds with +great joy, and bade them abide; for he said that they had the +less need to hasten, since he had sent messengers into Burgdale +to tell men there of the tidings. Albeit they were mostly +loth to tarry; yet when he lay hard on them not to depart as men +on the morrow of a gild-feast, they abode there three days, and +were as well guested as might be, and on their departure they +were laden with gifts from the wealth of Rose-dale by Dallach and +his folk.</p> +<p>Before they went their ways Dallach spake with Face-of-god and +the chiefs of the Dalesmen, and said:</p> +<p>‘Ye have given me much from the time when ye found me in +the wood a naked wastrel; yet now I would ask you a gift to lay +on the top of all that ye have given me.’</p> +<p>Said Face-of-god: ‘Name the gift, and thou shalt have +it; for we deem thee our friend.’</p> +<p>‘I am no less,’ said Dallach, ‘as in time to +come I may perchance be able to show you. But now I am +asking you to suffer a score or two of your men to abide here +with me this summer, till I see how this folk new-born again is +like to deal with me. For pleasure and a fair life have +become so strange to them, that they scarce know what to do with +them, or how to live; and unless all is to go awry, I must needs +command and forbid; and though belike they love me, yet they fear +me not; so that when my commandment pleaseth them, they do as I +bid, and when it pleaseth them not, they do contrary to my <a +name="page406"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 406</span>bidding; +for it hath got into their minds that I shall in no case lift a +hand against them, which indeed is the very sooth. But your +folk they fear as warriors of the world, who have slain the Dusky +Men in the Market-place of Silver-stead; and they are of alien +blood to them, men who will do as their friend biddeth (think our +folk) against them who are neither friends or foes. With +such help I shall be well holpen.’</p> +<p>In such wise spake Dallach; and Face-of-god and the chiefs +said that so it should be, if men could be found willing to abide +in Rose-dale for a while. And when the matter was put +abroad, there was no lack of such men amongst the younger +warriors, who had noted that the dale was fair amongst dales and +its women fairer yet amongst women.</p> +<p>So two score and ten of the Burgdale men abode in Rose-dale, +no one of whom was of more than twenty and five winters. +Forsooth divers of them set up house in Rose-dale, and never came +back to Burgdale, save as guests. For a half score were +wedded in Rose-dale before the year’s ending; and seven +more, who had also taken to them wives of the goodliest of the +Rose-dale women, betook them the next spring to the Burg of the +Runaways, and there built them a stead, and drew a garth about +it, and dug and sowed the banks of the river, which they called +Inglebourne. And as years passed, this same stead throve +exceedingly, and men resorted thither both from Rose-dale and +Burgdale; for it was a pleasant place; and the land, when it was +cured, was sweet and good, and the wood thereabout was full of +deer of all kinds. So their stead was called Inglebourne +after the stream; and in latter days it became a very goodly +habitation of men.</p> +<p>Moreover, some of the once-enthralled folk of Rose-dale, when +they knew that men of their kindred from Silver-dale were going +home with the men of Burgdale to dwell in the Dale, prayed hard +to go along with them; for they looked on the Burgdalers as if +they were new Gods of the Earth. The Burgdale chiefs <a +name="page407"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 407</span>would not +gainsay these men either, but took with them three score and ten +from Rose-dale, men and women, and promised them dwelling and +livelihood in Burgdale.</p> +<p>So now with good hearts the Host of Burgdale turned their +faces toward their well-beloved Dale; and they made good +diligence, so that in three days’ time they were come anigh +the edge of the woodland wilderness. Thither in the +even-tide, as they were making ready for their last supper and +bed in the wood, came three men and two women of their folk, who +had been abiding their coming ever since they had had the tidings +of Silver-dale and the battles from Dallach. Great was the +joy of these messengers as they went from company to company of +the warriors, and saw the familiar faces of their friends, and +heard their wonted voices telling all the story of battle and +slaughter. And for their part the men of the Host feasted +these stay-at-homes, and made much of them. But one of +them, a man of the House of the Face, left the Host a little +after nightfall, and bore back to Burgstead at once the tidings +of the coming home of the Host. Albeit since +Dallach’s tidings of victory had come to the Dale, the +dwellers in the steads of the country-side had left Burgstead and +gone home to their own houses; so that there was no great +multitude abiding in the Thorp.</p> +<p>So early on the morrow was the Host astir; but ere they came +to Wildlake’s Way, the Shepherd-folk turned aside westward +to go home, after they had bidden farewell to their friends and +fellows of the Dale; for their souls longed for the sheepcotes in +the winding valleys under the long grey downs; and the garths +where the last year’s ricks shouldered up against the old +stone gables, and where the daws were busy in the tall unfrequent +ash-trees; and the green flowery meadows adown along the bright +streams, where the crowfoot and the paigles were blooming now, +and the harebells were in flower about the thorn-bushes at the +down’s foot, whence went the savour of their blossom over +sheep-walk and water-meadow.</p> +<p><a name="page408"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 408</span>So +these went their ways with many kind words; and two hours +afterwards all the rest of the Host stood on the level ground of +the Portway; but presently were the ranks of war disordered and +broken up by the joy of the women and children, as they fell to +drawing goodman or brother or lover out of the throng to the way +that led speediest to their homesteads and halls. For the +War-leader would not hold the Host together any longer, but +suffered each man to go to his home, deeming that the men of +Burgstead, and chiefly they of the Face and the Steer, would +suffice for a company if any need were, and they would be easily +gathered to meet any hap.</p> +<p>So now the men of the Middle and Lower Dale made for their +houses by the road and the lanes and the meadows, and the men of +the Upper Dale and Burgstead went their ways along the Portway +toward their halls, with the throng of women and children that +had come out to meet them. And now men came home when it +was yet early, and the long day lay before them; and it was, as +it were, made giddy and cumbered with the exceeding joy of +return, and the thought of the day when the fear of death and +sundering had been ever in their hearts. For these new +hours were full of the kissing and embracing of lovers, and the +sweetness of renewed delight in beholding the fair bodies so +sorely desired, and hearkening the soft wheedling of longed-for +voices. There were the cups of friends beneath the chestnut +trees, and the talk of the deeds of the fighting-men, and of the +heavy days of the home-abiders; many a tale told oft and +o’er again. There was the singing of old songs and of +new, and the beholding the well-loved nook of the pleasant +places, which death might well have made nought for them; and +they were sweet with the fear of that which was past, and in +their pleasantness was fresh promise for the days to come.</p> +<p>So amid their joyance came evening and nightfall; and though +folk were weary with the fulness of delight, yet now for many +their weariness led them to the chamber of love before the rest +of <a name="page409"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 409</span>deep +night came to them to make them strong for the happy life to be +begun again on the morrow.</p> +<p>House by house they feasted, and few were the lovers that sat +not together that even. But Face-of-god and the Sun-beam +parted at the door of the House of the Face; for needs must she +go with her new folk to the House of the Steer, and needs must +Face-of-god be amongst his own folk in that hour of high-tide, +and sit beside his father beneath the image of the God with the +ray-begirt head.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LVIII. HOW THE MAIDEN WARD WAS HELD IN +BURGDALE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> May was well worn when the Host +came home to Burgdale; and on the very morrow of men’s +home-coming they began to talk eagerly of the Midsummer Weddings, +and how the Maiden Ward would be the greatest and fairest of all +yet seen, whereas battle and the deliverance from battle stir up +the longing and love both of men and maidens; much also men spake +of the wedding of Face-of-god and the Sun-beam; and needs must +their wedding abide to the time of the Maiden Ward at Midsummer, +and needs also must the Sun-beam go on the Ward with the other +Brides of the Folk. So then must Face-of-god keep his soul +in patience till those few days were over, doing what work came +to hand; and he held his head high among the people, and was well +looked to of every man.</p> +<p>In all matters the Sun-beam helped him, both in doing and in +forbearing; and now so wonderful and rare was her beauty, that +folk looked on her with somewhat of fear, as though she came from +the very folk of the Gods.</p> +<p>Indeed she seemed somewhat changed from what she had been of +late; she was sober of demeanour during these last days of <a +name="page410"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 410</span>her +maidenhood, and sat amongst the kindred as one communing with +herself: of few words she was and little laughter; but her face +clear, not overcast by any gloom or shaken by passion: soft and +kind was she in converse with others, and sweet were the smiles +that came into her face if others’ faces seemed to crave +for them. For it must be said that as some folk eat out +their hearts with fear of the coming evils, even so was she +feeding her soul with the joy of the days to be, whatever trouble +might fall upon them, whereof belike she foreboded some.</p> +<p>So wore the days toward Midsummer, when the wheat was getting +past the blossoming, and the grass in the mown fields was growing +deep green again after the shearing of the scythe; when the +leaves were most and biggest; when the roses were beginning to +fall; when the apples were reddening, and the skins of the +grape-berries gathering bloom. High aloft floated the light +clouds over the Dale; deep blue showed the distant fells below +the ice-mountains; the waters dwindled; all things sought the +shadow by daytime, and the twilight of even and the twilight of +dawn were but sundered by three hours of half-dark night.</p> +<p>So in the bright forenoon were seventeen brides assembled in +the Gate of Burgstead (but of the rest of the Dale were twenty +and three looked for), and with these was the Sun-beam, her face +as calm as the mountain lake under a summer sunset, while of the +others many were restless, and babbling like April throstles; and +not a few talked to her eagerly, and in their restless love of +her dragged her about hither and thither.</p> +<p>No men were to be seen that morning; for such was the custom, +that the carles either departed to the fields and the acres, or +abode within doors on the morn of the day of the Maiden Ward; but +there was a throng of women about the Gate and down the street of +Burgstead, and it may well be deemed that they kept not silence +that hour.</p> +<p>So fared the Brides of Burgstead to the place of the Maiden +Ward on the causeway, whereto were come already the other <a +name="page411"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 411</span>brides from +steads up and down the Dale, or were even then close at hand on +the way; and among them were Long-coat and her two fellows, with +whom Face-of-god had held converse on that morning whereon he had +followed his fate to the Mountain.</p> +<p>There then were they gathered under the cliff-wall of the +Portway; and by the road-side had their grooms built them up +bowers of green boughs to shelter them from the sun’s +burning, which were thatched with bulrushes, and decked with +garlands of the fairest flowers of the meadows and the +gardens.</p> +<p>Forsooth they were a lovely sight to look on, for no fairer +women might be seen in the world; and the eldest of them was +scant of five and twenty winters. Every maiden was clad in +as goodly raiment as she might compass; their sleeves and +gown-hems and girdles, yea, their very shoes and sandals were +embroidered so fairly and closely, that as they shifted in the +sun they changed colour like the king-fisher shooting from shadow +to sunshine. According to due custom every maiden bore some +weapon. A few had bows in their hands and quivers at their +backs; some had nought but a sword girt to their sides; some bore +slender-shafted spears, so as not to overburden their shapely +hands; but to some it seemed a merry game to carry long and heavy +thrust-spears, or to bear great war-axes over their +shoulders. Most had their flowing hair coifed with bright +helms; some had burdened their arms with shields; some bore steel +hauberks over their linen smocks: almost all had some piece of +war-gear on their bodies; and one, to wit, Steed-linden of the +Sickle, a tall and fair damsel, was so arrayed that no garment +could be seen on her but bright steel war-gear.</p> +<p>As for the Sun-beam, she was clad in a white kirtle +embroidered from throat to hem with work of green boughs and +flowers of the goodliest fashion, and a garland of roses on her +head. Dale-warden himself was girt to her side by a girdle +fair-wrought of golden wire, and she bore no other weapon or +war-gear; and she let him lie quiet in his scabbard, nor touched +the hilts once; whereas <a name="page412"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 412</span>some of the other damsels would be +ever drawing their swords out and thrusting them back. But +all noted that goodly weapon, the yoke-fellow of so many great +deeds.</p> +<p>There then on the Portway, between the water and the +rock-wall, rose up plenteous and gleeful talk of clear voices +shrill and soft; and whiles the maidens sang, and whiles they +told tales of old days, and whiles they joined hands and danced +together on the sweet summer dust of the highway. Then they +mostly grew aweary, and sat down on the banks of the road or +under their leafy bowers.</p> +<p>Noon came, and therewithal goodwives of the neighbouring Dale, +who brought them meat and drink, and fruit and fresh flowers from +the teeming gardens; and thereafter for a while they nursed their +joy in their bosoms, and spake but little and softly while the +day was at its hottest in the early afternoon.</p> +<p>Then came out of Burgstead men making semblance of chapmen +with a wain bearing wares, and they made as though they were +wending down the Portway westward to go out of the Dale. +Then arose the weaponed maidens and barred the way to them, and +turned them back amidst fresh-springing merriment.</p> +<p>Again in a while, when the sun was westering and the shadows +growing long, came herdsmen from down the Dale driving neat, and +making as though they would pass by into Burgstead, but to them +also did the maidens gainsay the road, so that needs must they +turn back amidst laughter and mockery, they themselves also +laughing and mocking.</p> +<p>And so at last, when the maidens had been all alone a while, +and it was now hard on sunset, they drew together and stood in a +ring, and fell to singing; and one Gold-may of the House of the +Bridge, a most sweet singer, stood amidst their ring and led +them. And this is somewhat of the meaning of their +words:</p> +<p class="poetry">The sun will not tarry; now changeth the +light,<br /> +Fail the colours that marry the Day to the Night.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page413"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +413</span>Amid the sun’s burning bright weapons we bore,<br +/> +For this eve of our earning comes once and no more.</p> +<p class="poetry">For to-day hath no brother in yesterday’s +tide,<br /> +And to-morrow no other alike it doth hide.</p> +<p class="poetry">This day is the token of oath and behest<br /> +That ne’er shall be broken through ill days and best.</p> +<p class="poetry">Here the troth hath been given, the oath hath +been done,<br /> +To the Folk that hath thriven well under the sun.</p> +<p class="poetry">And the gifts of its giving our troth-day shall +win<br /> +Are the Dale for our living and dear days therein.</p> +<p class="poetry">O Sun, now thou wanest! yet come back and +see<br /> +Amidst all that thou gainest how gainful are we.</p> +<p class="poetry">O witness of sorrow wide over the earth,<br /> +Rise up on the morrow to look on our mirth!</p> +<p class="poetry">Thy blooms art thou bringing back ever for +men,<br /> +And thy birds are a-singing each summer again.</p> +<p class="poetry">But to men little-hearted what winter is +worse<br /> +Than thy summers departed that bore them the curse?</p> +<p class="poetry">And e’en such art thou knowing where +thriveth the year,<br /> +And good is all growing save thralldom and fear.</p> +<p class="poetry">Nought such be our lovers’ hearts drawing +anigh,<br /> +While yet thy light hovers aloft in the sky.</p> +<p class="poetry">Lo the seeker, the finder of Death in the +Blade!<br /> +What lips shall be kinder on lips of mine laid?</p> +<p class="poetry">La he that hath driven back tribes of the +South!<br /> +Sweet-breathed is thine even, but sweeter his mouth.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page414"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +414</span>Come back from the sea then, O sun! come aback,<br /> +Look adown, look on me then, and ask what I lack!</p> +<p class="poetry">Come many a morrow to gaze on the Dale,<br /> +And if e’er thou seest sorrow remember its tale!</p> +<p class="poetry">For ’twill be of a story to tell how men +died<br /> +In the garnering of glory that no man may hide.</p> +<p class="poetry">O sun sinking under! O fragrance of +earth!<br /> +O heart! O the wonder whence longing has birth!</p> +<p>So they sang, and the sun sank indeed; and amidst their +singing the eve was still about them, though there came a happy +murmur from the face of the meadows and the houses of the Thorp +aloof. But as their song fell they heard the sound of +footsteps a many on the road; so they turned and stood with +beating hearts in such order as when a band of the valiant draw +together to meet many foes coming on them from all sides, and +they stand back to back to face all comers. And even +therewith, their raiment gleaming amidst the gathering dusk, came +on them the young men of the Dale newly delivered from the grief +of war.</p> +<p>Then in very deed the fierce mouths of the raisers of the +war-shout were kind on the faces of tender maidens. Then +went spear and axe and helm and shield clattering to the earth, +as the arms of the new-comers went round about the bodies of the +Brides, weary with the long day of sunshine, and glee and loving +speech, and the maidens suffered the young men to lead them +whither they would, and twilight began to draw round about them +as the Maiden Band was sundered.</p> +<p>Some, they were led away westward down the Portway to the +homesteads thereabout; and for divers of these the way was long +to their halls, and they would have to wend over long stretches +of dewy meadows, and hear the night-wind whisper in <a +name="page415"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 415</span>many a +tree, and see the east begin to lighten with the dawn before they +came to the lighted feast that awaited them. But some +turned up the Portway straight towards Burgstead; and short was +their road to the halls where even now the lights were being +kindled for their greeting.</p> +<p>As for the Sun-beam, she had been very quiet the day long, +speaking as little as she might do, laughing not at all, and +smiling for kindness’ sake rather than for merriment; and +when the grooms came seeking their maidens, she withdrew herself +from the band, and stood alone amidst the road nigher to +Burgstead than they; and her heart beat hard, and her breath came +short and quick, as though fear had caught her in its grip; and +indeed for one moment of time she feared that he was not coming +to her. For he had gone with the other grooms to that +gathered band, and had passed from one to the other, not finding +her, till he had got him through the whole company, and beheld +her awaiting him. Then indeed he bounded toward her, and +caught her by the hands, and then by the shoulders, and drew her +to him, and she nothing loth; and in that while he said to +her:</p> +<p>‘Come then, my friend; lo thou! they go each their own +way toward the halls of their houses; and for thee have I chosen +a way—a way over the foot-bridge yonder, and over the dewy +meadows on this best even of the year.’</p> +<p>‘Nay, nay,’ she said, ‘it may not be. +Surely the Burgstead grooms look to thee to lead them to the +gate; and surely in the House of the Face they look to see thee +before any other. Nay, Gold-mane, my dear, we must needs go +by the Portway.’</p> +<p>He said: ‘We shall be home but a very little while after +the first, for the way I tell of is as short as the +Portway. But hearken, my sweet! When we are in the +meadows we shall sit down for a minute on a bank under the +chestnut trees, and thence watch the moon coming up over the +southern cliffs. And I shall behold thee in the summer +night, and deem that I see <a name="page416"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 416</span>all thy beauty; which yet shall make +me dumb with wonder when I see it indeed in the house amongst the +candles.’</p> +<p>‘O nay,’ she said, ‘by the Portway shall we +go; the torch-bearers shall be abiding thee at the +gate.’</p> +<p>Spake Face-of-god: ‘Then shall we rise up and wend first +through a wide treeless meadow, wherein amidst the night we shall +behold the kine moving about like odorous shadows; and through +the greyness of the moonlight thou shalt deem that thou seest the +pink colour of the eglantine blossoms, so fragrant they +are.’</p> +<p>‘O nay,’ she said, ‘but it is meet that we +go by the Portway.’</p> +<p>But he said: ‘Then from the wide meadow come we into a +close of corn, and then into an orchard-close beyond it. +There in the ancient walnut-tree the owl sitteth breathing hard +in the night-time; but thou shalt not hear him for the joy of the +nightingales singing from the apple-trees of the close. +Then from out of the shadowed orchard shall we come into the open +town-meadow, and over its daisies shall the moonlight be lying in +a grey flood of brightness.</p> +<p>‘Short is the way across it to the brim of the Weltering +Water, and across the water lieth the fair garden of the Face; +and I have dight for thee there a little boat to waft us across +the night-dark waters, that shall be like wavering flames of +white fire where the moon smites them, and like the void of all +things where the shadows hang over them. There then shall +we be in the garden, beholding how the hall-windows are yellow, +and hearkening the sound of the hall-glee borne across the +flowers and blending with the voice of the nightingales in the +trees. There then shall we go along the grass paths whereby +the pinks and the cloves and the lavender are sending forth their +fragrance, to cheer us, who faint at the scent of the over-worn +roses, and the honey-sweetness of the lilies.</p> +<p>‘All this is for thee, and for nought but for thee this +even; and many a blossom whereof thou knowest nought shall grieve +if <a name="page417"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 417</span>thy +foot tread not thereby to-night; if the path of thy wedding which +I have made, be void of thee, on the even of the Chamber of +Love.</p> +<p>‘But lo! at last at the garden’s end is the +yew-walk arched over for thee, and thou canst not see whereby to +enter it; but I, I know it, and I lead thee into and along the +dark tunnel through the moonlight, and thine hand is not weary of +mine as we go. But at the end shall we come to a wicket, +which shall bring us out by the gable-end of the Hall of the +Face. Turn we about its corner then, and there are we +blinking on the torches of the torch-bearers, and the candles +through the open door, and the hall ablaze with light and full of +joyous clamour, like the bale-fire in the dark night kindled on a +ness above the sea by fisher-folk remembering the +Gods.’</p> +<p>‘O nay,’ she said, ‘but by the Portway must +we go; the straightest way to the Gate of Burgstead.’</p> +<p>In vain she spake, and knew not what she said; for even as he +was speaking he led her away, and her feet went as her will went, +rather than her words; and even as she said that last word she +set her foot on the first board of the foot-bridge; and she +turned aback one moment, and saw the long line of the rock-wall +yet glowing with the last of the sunset of midsummer, while as +she turned again, lo! before her the moon just beginning to lift +himself above the edge of the southern cliffs, and betwixt her +and him all Burgdale, and Face-of-god moreover.</p> +<p>Thus then they crossed the bridge into the green meadows, and +through the closes and into the garden of the Face and unto the +Hall-door; and other brides and grooms were there before them +(for six grooms had brought home brides to the House of the +Face); but none deemed it amiss in the War-leader of the folk and +the love that had led him. And old Stone-face said: +‘Too many are the rows of bee-skeps in the gardens of the +Dale that we should begrudge wayward lovers an hour’s waste +of candle-light.’</p> +<p><a name="page418"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 418</span>So at +last those twain went up the sun-bright Hall hand in hand in all +their loveliness, and up on to the daïs, and stood together +by the middle seat; and the tumult of the joy of the kindred was +hushed for a while as they saw that there was speech in the mouth +of the War-leader.</p> +<p>Then he spread his hands abroad before them all and cried out: +‘How then have I kept mine oath, whereas I swore on the +Holy Boar to wed the fairest woman of the world?’</p> +<p>A mighty shout went rattling about the timbers of the roof in +answer to his word; and they that looked up to the gable of the +Hall said that they saw the ray-ringed image of the God smile +with joy over the gathered folk.</p> +<p>But spake Iron-face unheard amidst the clamour of the Hall: +‘How fares it now with my darling and my daughter, who +dwelleth amongst strangers in the land beyond the +wild-wood?’</p> +<h2>CHAPTER LIX. THE BEHEST OF FACE-OF-GOD TO THE BRIDE +ACCOMPLISHED: A MOTE-STEAD APPOINTED FOR THE THREE FOLKS, TO WIT, +THE MEN OF BURGDALE, THE SHEPHERDS, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE +WOLF.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Three</span> years and two months +thereafter, three hours after noon in the days of early autumn, +came a wain tilted over with precious webs of cloth, and drawn by +eight white oxen, into the Market-place of Silver-stead: two +score and ten of spearmen of the tallest, clad in goodly +war-gear, went beside it, and much people of Silver-dale thronged +about them. The wain stayed at the foot of the stair that +led up to the door of the Mote-house, and there lighted down +therefrom a woman goodly of fashion, with wide grey eyes, and +face and hands brown with the sun’s burning. She had +a helm on her head and a sword girt to her side, and in her arms +she bore a yearling child.</p> +<p><a name="page419"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 419</span>And +there was come Bow-may with the second man-child born to +Face-of-god.</p> +<p>She stayed not amidst the wondering folk, but hastened up the +stair, which she had once seen running with the blood of men: the +door was open, and she went in and walked straight-way, with the +babe in her arms, up the great Hall to the daïs.</p> +<p>There were men on the daïs: amidmost sat Folk-might, +little changed since the last day she had seen him, yet fairer, +she deemed, than of old time; and her heart went forth to meet +the Chieftain of her Folk, and the glad tears started in her eyes +and ran down her cheeks as she drew near to him.</p> +<p>By his side sat the Bride, and her also Bow-may deemed to have +waxed goodlier. Both she and Folk-might knew Bow-may ere +she had gone half the length of the hall; and the Bride rose up +in her place and cried out Bow-may’s name joyously.</p> +<p>With these were sitting the elders of the Wolf and the +Woodlanders, the more part of whom Bow-may knew well.</p> +<p>On the daïs also stood aside a score of men weaponed, and +looking as if they were awaiting the word which should send them +forth on some errand.</p> +<p>Now stood up Folk-might and said: ‘Fair greeting and +love to my friend and the daughter of my Folk! How farest +thou, Bow-may, best of all friendly women? How fareth my +sister, and Face-of-god my brother? and how is it with our +friends and helpers in the goodly Dale?’</p> +<p>Said Bow-may: ‘It is well both with all those and with +me; and my heart laughs to see thee, Folk-might, and to look on +the elders of the valiant, and our lovely sister the Bride. +But I have a message for thee from Face-of-god: wilt thou that I +deliver it here?’</p> +<p>‘Yea surely,’ said Folk-might, and came forth and +took her hand, and kissed her cheeks and her mouth. The +Bride also came forth and cast her arms about her, and kissed +her; and they led her between them to a seat on the daïs +beside Folk-might.</p> +<p>But all men looked on the child in her arms and wondered <a +name="page420"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 420</span>what it +was. But Bow-may took the babe, which was both fair and +great, and set it on the knees of the Bride, and said:</p> +<p>‘Thus saith Face-of-god: “Friend and kinswoman, +well-beloved playmate, the gift which thou badest of me in sorrow +do thou now take in joy, and do all the good thou wouldest to the +son of thy friend. The ring which I gave thee once in the +garden of the Face, give thou to Bow-may, my trusty and +well-beloved, in token of the fulfilment of my +behest.”’</p> +<p>Then the Bride kissed Bow-may again, and fell to fondling of +the child, which was loth to leave Bow-may.</p> +<p>But she spake again: ‘To thee also, Folk-might, I have a +message from Face-of-god, who saith: “Mighty warrior, +friend and fellow, all things thrive with us, and we are +happy. Yet is there a hollow place in our hearts which +grieveth us, and only thou and thine may amend it. Though +whiles we hear tell of thee, yet we see thee not, and fain were +we, might we see thee, and wot if the said tales be true. +Wilt thou help us somewhat herein, or wilt thou leave us all the +labour? For sure we be that thou wilt not say that thou +rememberest us no more, and that thy love for us is +departed.” This is his message, Folk-might, and he +would have an answer from thee.’</p> +<p>Then laughed Folk-might and said: ‘Sister Bow-may, seest +thou these weaponed men hereby?’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ she said.</p> +<p>Said he: ‘These men bear a message with them to +Face-of-god my brother. Crow the Shaft-speeder, stand forth +and tell thy friend Bow-may the message I have set in thy mouth, +every word of it.’</p> +<p>Then Crow stood forth and greeted Bow-may friendly, and said: +‘Friend Bow-may, this is the message of our Alderman: +“Friend and helper, in the Dale which thou hast given to us +do all things thrive; neither are we grown old in three +years’ wearing, nor are our memories worsened. We +long sore to see you and give you guesting in Silver-dale, and +one day that shall <a name="page421"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +421</span>befall. Meanwhile, know this: that we of the Wolf +and the Woodland, mindful of the earth that bore us, and the pit +whence we were digged, have a mind to go see Shadowy Vale once in +every three years, and there to hold high-tide in the ancient +Hall of the Wolf, and sit in the Doom-ring of our Fathers. +But since ye have joined yourselves to us in battle, and have +given us this Dale, our health and wealth, without price and +without reward, we deem you our very brethren, and small shall be +our hall-glee, and barren shall our Doom-ring seem to us, unless +ye sit there beside us. Come then, that we may rejoice each +other by the sight of face and sound of voice; that we may speak +together of matters that concern our welfare; so that we three +Kindreds may become one Folk. And if this seem good to you, +know that we shall be in Shadowy Vale in a half-month’s +wearing. Grieve us not by forbearing to come.” +Lo, Bow-may, this is the message, and I have learned it well, for +well it pleaseth me to bear it.’</p> +<p>Then said Folk-might: ‘What say’st thou to the +message, Bow-may?’</p> +<p>‘It is good in all ways,’ said she, ‘but is +it timely? May our folk have the message and get to Shadowy +Vale, so as to meet you there?’</p> +<p>‘Yea surely,’ said Folk-might, ‘for our +kinsmen here shall take the road through Shadowy Vale, and in +four days’ time they shall be in Burgdale, and as thou +wottest, it is scant a two days’ journey thence to Shadowy +Vale.’</p> +<p>Therewith he turned to those men again, and said: +‘Kinsman Crow, depart now, and use all diligence with thy +message.’</p> +<p>So the messengers began to stir; but Bow-may cried out: +‘Ho! Folk-might, my friend, I perceive thou art +little changed from the man I knew in Shadowy Vale, who would +have his dinner before the fowl were plucked. For shall I +not go back with these thy messengers, so that I also may get all +ready to wend to the Mote-house of Shadowy Vale?’</p> +<p><a name="page422"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 422</span>But +the Bride looked kindly on her, and laughed and said: +‘Sister Bow-may, his meaning is that thou shouldest abide +here in Silver-dale till we depart for the Folk-thing, and then +go thither with us; and this I also pray thee to do, that thou +mayst rejoice the hearts of thine old friends; and also that thou +mayst teach me all that I should know concerning this fair child +of my brother and my sister.’</p> +<p>And she looked on her so kindly as she caressed the babe, that +Bow-may’s heart melted, and she cried out:</p> +<p>‘Would that I might never depart from the house wherein +thou dwellest, O Bride of my Kinsman! And this that thou +biddest me is easy and pleasant for me to do. But +afterwards I must get me back to Burgdale; for I seem to have +left much there that calleth for me.’</p> +<p>‘Yea,’ said Folk-might, ‘and art thou +wedded, Bow-may? Shalt thou never bend the yew in battle +again?’</p> +<p>Said Bow-may soberly: ‘Who knoweth, chieftain? +Yea, I am wedded now these two years; and nought I looked for +less when I followed those twain through the wild-wood to +Burgdale.’</p> +<p>She sighed therewith, and said: ‘In all the Dale there +is no better man of his hands than my man, nor any goodlier to +look on, and he is even that Hart of Highcliff whom thou knowest +well, O Bride!’</p> +<p>Said the Bride: ‘Thou sayest sooth, there is no better +man in the Dale.’</p> +<p>Said Bow-may: ‘Sun-beam bade me wed him when he pressed +hard upon me.’ She stayed awhile, and then said: +‘Face-of-god also deemed I should not naysay the man; and +now my son by him is of like age to this little one.’</p> +<p>‘Good is thy story,’ said Folk-might; ‘or +deemest thou, Bow-may, that such strong and goodly women as thou, +and women so kind and friendly, should forbear the wedding and +the bringing forth of children? Yea, and we who may even +yet have to gather <a name="page423"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +423</span>to another field before we die, and fight for life and +the goods of life.’</p> +<p>‘Thou sayest well,’ she said; ‘all that hath +befallen me is good since the day whereon I loosed shaft from the +break of the bent over yonder.’</p> +<p>Therewith she fell a-musing, and made as though she were +hearkening to the soft voice of the Bride caressing the new-come +baby; but in sooth neither heard nor saw what was going on about +her, for her thoughts were in bygone days. Howbeit +presently she came to herself again, and fell to asking many +questions concerning Silver-dale and the kindred, and those who +had once been thralls of the Dusky Men; and they answered all +duly, and told her the whole story of the Dale since the Day of +the Victory.</p> +<p>So Bow-may and the carles who had come with her abode for that +half-month in Silver-dale, guested in all love by the folk +thereof, both the kindreds and the poor folk. And Bow-may +deemed that the Bride loved Face-of-god’s child little less +than her own, whereof she had two, a man and a woman; and thereat +was she full of joy, since she knew that Face-of-god and the +Sun-beam would be fain thereof.</p> +<p>Thereafter, when the time was come, fared Folk-might and the +Bride, and many of the elders and warriors of the Wolf and the +Woodland, to Shadowy Vale; and Dallach and the best of Rose-dale +went with them, being so bidden; and Bow-may and her following, +according to the word of the Bride. And in Shadowy Vale +they met Face-of-god and Alderman Iron-face, and the chiefs of +Burgdale and the Shepherds, and many others; and great joy there +was at the meeting. And the Sun-beam remembered the word +which she spoke to Face-of-god when first he came to Shadowy +Vale, that she would be wishful to see again the dwelling wherein +she had passed through so much joy and sorrow of her younger +days. But if anyone were fain of this meeting, the Alderman +was glad above all, when he took the <a name="page424"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 424</span>Bride once more in his arms, and +caressed her whom he had deemed should be a very daughter of his +House.</p> +<p>Now telleth the tale of all these kindreds, to wit, the Men of +Burgdale and the Sheepcotes; and the Children of the Wolf, and +the Woodlanders, and the Men of Rose-dale, that they were friends +henceforth, and became as one Folk, for better or worse, in peace +and in war, in waning and waxing; and that whatsoever befell +them, they ever held Shadowy Vale a holy place, and for long and +long after they met there in mid-autumn, and held converse and +counsel together.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">No more as now telleth the tale of these +Kindreds and Folks, but maketh an ending</span>.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">CHISWICK +PRESS:—C. 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